A Sensitive and Rapid LC-MS/MS Method for Determination of Berberine in Human Plasma

• Published in: Mass spectrometry letters Vol. 10; no. 2; pp. 56 - 60
• Main Authors: Kim, Jae Hee, Mai, Xuan-Lan, Kim, Kyu Yeon, Sim, Min-Seok, Lee, So-Yeon, Seo, Hee-Won, Lee, Gunhee, Kim, Dae-Jung, Kim, Kyeong Ho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 30.06.2019
• Subjects: pharmacokinetic study; LC-MS/MS; Coptidis Rhizoma; human plasma; berberine
• ISSN: 2233-4203; 2093-8950

Coptidis Rhizoma (CR) has been used widely in traditional medicine to treat common diseases. This study aimed to develop a high-sensitivity liquid chromatography-tandem mass (LC-MS) spectrometry method for the evaluation of the pharmacokinetics of a new natural product that contain CR extract with the main bioactive compound, berberine, at trace concentrations. Human plasma samples were pretreated with methanol by a protein precipitation method. Berberine was analyzed on a Kinetex C18 column ($2.1mm{\times}50mm$, $100{\AA}$, $1.7{\mu}m$) using a mobile phase of 10 mM ammonium formate/0.1% formic acid in water (A) and acetonitrile (B) (50:50, v/v) with a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. The analyte was detected by using electrospray ionization in positive mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The method was sensitive, with a lower limit of quantification of 1 pg/mL, which has not been previously obtained. The method was validated (over the range of 1-50 pg/mL) and applied successfully for the pharmacokinetic study of human plasma samples.