Pharmacokinetics study of Quansanqi tablets mixed powder after single and multiple dosing in rats

A developed HPLC-MS/MS method for determining the concentrations of ginsenoside Rb₁, ginsenoside Rg₁, and notoginsenoside R₁ 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 t_1/2 of ginsenoside Rb₁ was significantly longer than those of ginsenoside Rg₁ and notoginsenoside R₁, and its mean C_max and AUC_0-t were also notably higher. In the multiple-dose group, the mean t_1/2 values for ginsenoside Rb₁, ginsenoside Rg₁, and notoginsenoside R₁ were 20 ± 1.7, 4.7 ± 1.1, and 4.7 ± 1.8 h, respectively. The mean C_max 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 Rb₁ exhibits slower absorption and elimination, whereas both ginsenoside Rg₁ and notoginsenoside R₁ are absorbed and eliminated more rapidly. Following 7 consecutive days of administration, the plasma concentrations of ginsenoside Rb₁, ginsenoside Rg₁, and notoginsenoside R₁ reached a steady state with no significant accumulation. No significant sex differences were observed for AUC_0-t and C_max.