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simultaneous determination of mycophenolic acid and its metabolites by HPLC and pharmacokinetic studies in rat plasma and bile

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Abstract

In this study, we determined the pharmacokinetics of mycophenolic acid (MPA) and its metabolites mycophenolic acid glucuronide (MPAG) and acyl glucuronide (AcMPAG) in rat plasma and bile, using a newly developed HPLC method. Protein precipitation and liquid-liquid extraction were employed in sample preparation of plasma and bile, respectively. The HPLC methods included a gradient elution consisting of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer at a flow rate of 1.2 mL/min, with UV detection at 254 nm. The HPLC method was found to be sensitive and linear (r 2 ≥ 0.9991, 1.0–128.0 and 0.25–32.0 mg/L for MPA; 1.0–128.0 and 0.5–64.0 mg/L for MPAG; 0.25–32.0 and 1.0–128.0 mg/L for AcMPAG in rat plasma and bile, respectively), precise (both the intra- and inter-day variability were ≤ 6.8%), and accurate (both the intra- and inter-day accuracy were between 92.2% and 105.4%). The average extraction efficiencies for MPA, MPAG and AcMPAG were 85.3%, 100.1%, and 94.7% in plasma, and 88.0%, 67.3%, and 68.3% in bile, respectively. The method was successfully employed for pharmacokinetic studies in plasma and bile after oral administration of mycophenolate mofetil (prodrug of MPA) in rats.

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Correspondence to Gao-lin Liu.

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Gao, Jw., Peng, Zh., Li, Xy. et al. simultaneous determination of mycophenolic acid and its metabolites by HPLC and pharmacokinetic studies in rat plasma and bile. Arch. Pharm. Res. 34, 59–69 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12272-011-0107-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12272-011-0107-2

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