OBJECTIVE To investigate the pharmacokinetics of 13 ingredients of Psoraleae Fructus, including psoralen, isopsoralen, bakuchiol, bavachalcone, bavachinin, corylin, psoralidin, bavachin, isobavachalcone, isobavachin, neobavaisoflavone, bakuchalcone and corylifol A in normal rats and alcoholic liver disease(ALD) model rats by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC-MS/MS) technology.

METHODS A Hypersil GOLD C₁₈ column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.9 μm) was employed; the mobile phase was composed of water and acetonitrile with gradient elution; the flow rate was 0.2 mL·min⁻¹; and the column temperature was maintained at 40 ℃. On the basis of the successful establishment of the ALD model in male SD rats, the crude drug solution of Psoraleae Fructus was administered by gavage at a dose of 1.07 g·kg⁻¹. The plasma concentrations of 13 major components were determined by UHPLC-MS/MS, and the pharmacokinetic parameters of each component were calculated using DAS 3.0 software.

RESULTS  After male SD rats developed ALD and were administered Psoraleae Fructus, the AUC and C_max of 9 blood-absorbed constituents, namely bakuchiol, bavachinin, bavachin, isobavachalcone, neobavaisoflavone, corylifol A, bavachalcone, psoralidin and isobavachin were significantly increased; the AUC and C_max of corylin and bakuchalcone, as well as the AUC of psoralen, showed increasing trends, but the differences were not statistically significant; the C_max of psoralen and the AUC and C_max of isopsoralen showed decreasing trends, but the differences were not statistically significant. The above results suggested that the systemic exposure levels of most components of Psoralea corylifolia were increased.

CONCLUSION  When organisms with ALD are administered Psoraleae Fructus, it may lead to an increase in the intake of Psoraleae Fructus-related hepatotoxicity components into the bloodstream, suggesting that the dosage of Psoraleae Fructus should be rationally adjusted during clinical medication for ALD patients.