Quantification of 1D, a novel derivative of curcumin with potential antitumor activity, in rat plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: application to a pharmacokinetic study in rats

Abstract Context: 1？D is a novel derivative of curcumin and shows very promising antitumor activities in various cancer cell lines. Objective: To characterize its preclinical pharmacokinetic profiles, a novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the quantification of 1？D in rat plasma. Materials and methods: An aliquot of 50？μL plasma sample was processed by protein precipitation with methanol. Chromatographic separation was accomplished on a Zorbax Eclipse Plus C18 column (2.1？mm × 50？mm, 1.8？μm) with a gradient elution system (water/0.1% formic acid and methanol). Detection was performed by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using electrospray ionization in the positive ion mode. The optimized fragmentation transition for 1？D was m/z 491.2 → 361.2. Results: The method was linear over the concentration range of 5–1000？ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precisions were less than 9.8% and the accuracy was within ± 14.5%. The mean recovery of 1？D ranged from 102.5 to 105.9%. No matrix effects and significant sample loss during sample processing were observed. The validated method has been successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study in rats after intravenous administration of 1？D. Non-compartmental pharmacokinetic parameters, including half-life (t1/2), apparent volume of distribution (Vz), clearance (CLz), and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC(0–t)) were 4.92？h, 46.56？L/kg, 6.33？L/h/kg, and 806.70？μg/L/h, respectively. Discussion and conclusions: Results demonstrated that 1？D displayed favourable pharmacokinetic properties for further in vivo pharmacologic evaluation, which could be facilitated by the validated LC-MS/MS method