IDENTIFICATION OF MAJOR CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND THEIR METABOLITES IN RAT PLASMA AND VARIOUS ORGANS AFTER ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF EFFECTIVE XIANG-FU-SI-WU DECOCTION FRACTION BY UPLC-Q-TOF-MS AND METABOLYNX.

A simple and specific UPLC-Q-TOF-MS method with automated data analysis (MetaboLynx) has been developed and applied for the primary investigation of metabolism pathway of active Xiang-Fu-Si-Wu Decoction fraction (XFSW-8). Through the online ESI-MSEanalysis and automated data analysis (MetaboLynx), a total of fifteen constituents have been identified or tentatively characterized from the nine tested samples after oral administration of XFSW-8. Six parent compounds and nine metabolites were identified in blood and eight organs. Methylates/demethylates sulfation, glucuronidation, sulfation, and glucuronidation conjugates were the major metabolic pathways of alkaloids in XFSW-8 in vivo. The present study provided important information regarding the metabolism of alkaloids in Xiang-Fu-Si-Wu Decoction which will be helpful for fully understanding of the mechanism of action of this Chinese medicine. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition ofthe Journal of Liquid Chromatography and Related Technologiesto view the free supplemental file. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]