Liquid chromatographic method for determination of four active saponins from Panax notoginseng in rat urine using solid-phase extraction

Four major active saponins (ginsenosides Rg(1), Rb-1, Rd and notoginsenoside R-1) in Panax notoginseng were determined in rat urine after oral and intravenous administration of total saponins of P. notoginseng (PNS), and the urine samples were treated with solid-phase extraction (SPE) prior to liquid chromatography. A reversed-phase liquid chromatography system with ultraviolet detection and a Zorbax SB-C-18 column was used. The within-day and between-day assay coefficients of variation for the four saponins in urine were less than 7% and the recovery of this method was higher than 85%. Using this method, the excretion profile of the drug in rat urine after administration of PNS was revealed for the first time. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All fights reserved.