Pharmacokinetic comparisons of typical constituents in white peony root and sulfur fumigated white peony root after oral administration to mice

Aim: White peony root and sulfur fumigated white peony root are produced by different processing methods from the root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall, but the two traditional Chinese medicines are used under the same common name white peony root. In order to clarify the influence of sulfur fumigation on pharmacokinetics of the main monoterpene glucoside components in white peony root, an investigation was carried out to compare the pharmacokinetics of sodium paeoniflorin sulfonate (1) and paeoniflorin (2), benzoylpaeoniflorin sulfonate (3) and benzoylpaeoniflorin (4), as well as 1 in sulfur fumigated white peony root extract (SWPE) and 2 in white peony root extract (WPE). Materials and methods: A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay was developed to determine the plasma concentrations of the four analytes. Kunming species of mice were orally administered the four compounds and the two extracts with approximately the same dose. Results: It was found that C x and AUC of 1 and 3 were increased (P < 0.05), and the T-max and t(1/2) were prolonged (P < 0.05) by comparison with that of 2. Similar results were also observed for the pharmacokinetics parameters of 1 in SWPE and 2 in WPE. However, benzoylpaeoniflorin (4) was not detected in plasma collected at certain intervals after administered orally to mice. Conclusions: These results indicate that sulfonation of the monoterpene components could improve the bioavailability and delay the absorption of them in mice. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.