Metabolic profiling of icaritin in rats using UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS / 中草药·英文版

ABSTRACT

Objective: To identify the in vivo metabolites of icaritin and speculate its metabolic profiling in rats. Methods: The plasma, bile, urine, and feces of rats were collected after orally administration of icaritin at a dose of 100 mg/kg and detected by an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS)in both positive and negative modes. The data of treated and control groups were compared and analyzed with the aid of Metabolynx XS software. Results: A total of 25 metabolites were identified in the biosamples, and 14 of them were reported for the first time to our knowledge. Conclusion: The main metabolite types of icaritin in rats were glucuronide conjugation, methylation, hydroxylation, reduction, and acetylation.