Panax quinquefolius (PQ) and Acorus gramineus (AG) are drug target pairs in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which are used to treat age-related diseases. In the present study, we simultaneously determined the contents of four main bioactive ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rd, and Re) in rat plasma using an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method. Plasma specimens were purified by using the solid-phase extraction procedure, and separation was performed on Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode and negative electrospray ionization (ESI) mode. The established UPLC-MS/MS method showed good linear correlation (r ≥ 0.9978), stability (−11.93 to 12.11%), precision (RSD < 14.63%), and recovery (76.43%–95.20%). The lower limit of quantification was 3.6 ng/mL for Rb1, 1.6 ng/mL for Rb2, 1.2 ng/mL for Rd, and 2.5 ng/mL for Re. This validated method was successfully employed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of the four ginsenosides in rat plasma after oral administration of PQ-AG and PQ extracts. The results revealed the pharmacokinetic profiles of PQ-AG drug pair and clarified that AG played a critical role in stimulating the absorption of active ginsenosides in PQ. Collectively, our findings provided valid and reliable evidence for the rational use of PQ-AG in clinical practice.

中文翻译：

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口服西洋参-桔梗和西洋参提取物后，通过UPLC-MS / MS比较大鼠血浆中四种人参皂苷的药代动力学。

西洋参（PQ）和禾本科（AGOR）是传统中药（TCM）中的药物靶标对，用于治疗与年龄有关的疾病。在本研究中，我们同时使用超高效液相色谱-串联质谱（UPLC-MS / MS）方法同时测定了大鼠血浆中四种主要生物活性人参皂苷（Rb1，Rb2，Rd和Re）的含量。通过固相萃取程序纯化血浆标本，并在Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18（100 mm×2.1 mm，1.7μm）上以多反应监测（MRM）模式和负电喷雾电离（ESI）模式进行分离。建立的UPLC-MS / MS方法显示出良好的线性相关性（r≥0.9978），稳定性（−11.93至12.11％），精度（RSD <14.63％）和回收率（76.43％–95.20％）。定量下限为3。Rb1为6 ng / mL，Rb2为1.6 ng / mL，Rd为1.2 ng / mL，Re为2.5 ng / mL。口服PQ-AG和PQ提取物后，该验证方法已成功用于研究大鼠血浆中四种人参皂苷的药代动力学。结果揭示了PQ-AG药对的药代动力学特征，并阐明AG在刺激PQ中活性人参皂甙的吸收中起着关键作用。总体而言，我们的发现为在临床实践中合理使用PQ-AG提供了有效而可靠的证据。结果揭示了PQ-AG药对的药代动力学特征，并阐明AG在刺激PQ中活性人参皂甙的吸收中起着关键作用。总体而言，我们的发现为在临床实践中合理使用PQ-AG提供了有效而可靠的证据。结果揭示了PQ-AG药对的药代动力学特征，并阐明AG在刺激PQ中活性人参皂甙的吸收中起着关键作用。总体而言，我们的发现为在临床实践中合理使用PQ-AG提供了有效而可靠的证据。