Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao. 2000 Apr; 22(2): 154-8.

[Studies on urinary metabolites of perlolyrine in rats]

Jiang G, Tang G, Wang S, Wang C, Zheng L.

Department of Nuclear Medicine, PUMC Hospital, CAMS, PUMC, Beijing 100730, China. [email protected]

OBJECTIVE: To study the metabolism of perlolyrine in rats, which is an active ingredient from the traditional Chinese herb, Ligusticum Wallichii Franch. METHODS: After administration of perlolyrine and deuterated perlolyrine, the rat urines were hydrolyzed with glucuronidase, basified with NaHCO3-Na2CO3, extracted with ethyl ether--iso-propyl alcohol. The organic phases (neutral and basic fractions) were concentrated for trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives. The aqueous phase were acidified with sulfuric acid, taken to dryness and extracted with methanol (water soluble acidic fractions) and concentrated for TMS derivatives. The TMS derivatives were determined by gas chromatograph mass spectrometry (GC-MS). RESULTS: Perlolyrine and one metabolite were found from the neutral and basic fractions, and two different metabolites were found from the water soluble acidic fractions. CONCLUSIONS: It was proposed that the major metabolic pathways of perlolyrine were that the hydroxylation of perlolyrine and the oxidation of its hydroxylmethyl group.