A sensitive, specific and rapid ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method has been developed to investigate pharmacokinetic properties of psoralen and isopsoralen, two compounds isolated from raw/salt-processed fruit of Psoralea corylifolia L. UHPLC-MS/MS was used with positive ion electrospray. The mobile phase was composed of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and a gradient elution program at flow rate of 0.3 mL/min was applied. Multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for the quantification of psoralen, isopsoralen ([M + H](+) m/z 187.0 → m/z 131.0) and scoparone (m/z 207.0 → m/z 151.1). Scoparone served as an internal standard. The method was fully validated for its sensitivity, selectivity, stability, matrix effect and extraction recovery. The obtained results showed that salt-processed Buguzhi significantly promoted the absorption of psoralen and isopsoralen, and increased the bioavailability of these compounds.
Keywords: isopsoralen; pharmacokinetics; psoralen; salt processing; ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS).
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