Determination of narciclasine in mouse blood by UPLC-MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

Narciclasine is a 7-hydroxy derivative of lycorisidine. It was the first alkaloid isolated from the stem of narcissus (Amaryllidaceae) in 1967. Six mice were given narciclasine (5 mg/kg) by intravenous administration. A UPLC-MS/MS method was developed to determine narciclasine in mouse blood. Tectorigenin (internal standard, IS) and narciclasine were gradient eluted by mobile phase of methanol and 0.1% formic acid in a BEH C18 column. The multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) of m/z 308.1 -> 4248.1 for narciclasine and m/z 301.1 -> 286.0 for IS with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source was used for quantitative determination. The calibration curve ranged from 1 to 6,000 ng/mL. The accuracy was from 92.5 to 107.3%, and the matrix effect was between 103.6 and 107.4%. The developed UPLC-MS/MS method was successfully applicated to a pharmacokinetic study of narciclasine in mice after intravenous administration (5 mg/kg).