Abstract:
A developed HPLC-MS/MS method for determining the concentrations of ginsenoside Rb
1, ginsenoside Rg
1, and notoginsenoside R
1 in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat plasma was methodologically validated, and the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the Quansanqi tablets mixed powder were investigated in rats following single and multiple administrations. Thirty-two SD rats were randomly divided into single-dose low, medium, and high-dose groups (
1034,
2069, and
4138 mg/kg Quansanqi tablets mixed powder, respectively) and a multiple-dose group (
2069 mg/kg Quansanqi tablets mixed powder, administered once daily for 7 consecutive days). Blood samples were collected before and after administration. Plasma drug concentrations were determined by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using a non-compartmental model. Following a single dose, the mean
t1/2 of ginsenoside Rb
1 was significantly longer than those of ginsenoside Rg
1 and notoginsenoside R
1, and its mean
Cmax and AUC
0-t were also notably higher. In the multiple-dose group, the mean
t1/2 values for ginsenoside Rb
1, ginsenoside Rg
1, and notoginsenoside R
1 were (20 ± 1.7), (4.7 ± 1.1), and (4.7 ± 1.8) h, respectively. The mean
Cmax values were (827 ± 141), (44.1 ± 34.1), and (29.9 ± 20.1) ng/mL, respectively. And the mean AUC
0-t values were (
24700 ±
5210), (306 ± 231), and (201 ± 120) h·ng/mL, respectively. The results indicate that ginsenoside Rb
1 exhibits slower absorption and elimination, whereas both ginsenoside Rg
1 and notoginsenoside R
1 are absorbed and eliminated more rapidly. Following 7 consecutive days of administration, the plasma concentrations of ginsenoside Rb
1, ginsenoside Rg
1, and notoginsenoside R
1 reached a steady state with no significant accumulation. No significant sex differences were observed for AUC
0-t and
Cmax.