Simultaneous determination of magnolin and epimagnolin A in rat plasma by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry: Application to pharmacokinetic study of a purified extract of the dried flower buds of Magnolia fargesii, NDC-052 in rats

Tetrahydrofurofuranoid Lignans, Eudesmin, Fargesin, Epimagnolin A, Magnolin, and Yangambin Inhibit UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 and 1A3 Activities in Human Liver Microsomes

Eudesmin, fargesin, epimagnolin A, magnolin, and yangambin are tetrahydrofurofuranoid lignans with various pharmacological activities found in Magnoliae Flos. The inhibition potencies of eudesmin, fargesin, epimagnolin A, magnolin, and yangambin on six major human uridine 5'-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) activities in human liver microsomes were evaluated using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and cocktail substrates. Eudesmin, fargesin, epimagnolin A, magnolin, and yangambin inhibited UGT1A1 and UGT1A3 activities, but showed negligible inhibition of UGT1A4, UGT16, UGT1A9, and UGT2B7 activities at 200 μM in pooled human liver microsomes. Moreover, eudesmin, fargesin, epimagnolin A, magnolin, and yangambin noncompetitively inhibited UGT1A1-catalyzed SN38 glucuronidation with K_i values of 25.7, 25.3, 3.6, 26.0, and 17.1 μM, respectively, based on kinetic analysis of UGT1A1 inhibition in pooled human liver microsomes. Conversely, the aforementioned tetrahydrofurofuranoid lignans competitively inhibited UGT1A3-catalyzed chenodeoxycholic acid 24-acyl-glucuronidation with 39.8, 24.3, 15.1, 37.6, and 66.8 μM, respectively in pooled human liver microsomes. These in vitro results suggest the necessity of evaluating whether the five tetrahydrofurofuranoid lignans can cause drug-drug interactions with UGT1A1 and UGT1A3 substrates in vivo.

Epimagnolin A inhibits IL-6 production by inhibiting p38/NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways in PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells

Epimagnolin A is a lignan obtained from the flower buds of Magnolia fargesii, which is traditionally used in Asian medicine for treating headache and nasal congestion. A herbal compound fargesin obtained from M. fargesii, has exerted anti-inflammatory effects in human monocytic THP-1 cells in the previous study. The anti-inflammatory effects of epimagnolin A, however, have been not elucidated yet. In this study, it was demonstrated that epimagnolin A reduced phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-induced IL-6 promoter activity and IL-6 production in human monocytic THP-1 cells. Furthermore, it was investigated the modulating effects of epimagnolin A on mitogen-activated protein kinase, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and activator protein 1 (AP-1) activities. Phosphorylation of p38 and nuclear translocation of p50 and c-Jun were down-regulated by epimagnolin A in the PMA-stimulated THP-1 cell. The results revealed that epimagnolin A attenuated the binding affinity of NF-κB and AP-1 transcription factors to IL-6 promoter and IL-6 production through p38/NF-kB and AP-1 signaling pathways in the PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells. These results suggest that epimagnolin A can be a useful drug for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Epimagnolin A, a tetrahydrofurofuranoid lignan from Magnolia fargesii, reverses ABCB1-mediated drug resistance

BACKGROUND

Epimagnolin A is an ingredient of the Chinese crude drug Shin-i, derived from the dried flower buds of Magnolia fargesii and Magnolia flos, which has been traditionally used for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and nasal congestion, empyema, and sinusitis. The pharmacokinetic activity of epimagnolin A remains to be evaluated.

PURPOSE

In this study, we examined the possible interactions of epimagnolin A with human ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCB1, a membrane protein vital in regulating the pharmacokinetics of drugs and xenobiotics.

STUDY DESIGN/METHODS

The interaction of epimagnolin A with ABCB1 was evaluated in calcein, ATPase, and MTT assays by using Flp-In-293/ABCB1 cells and purified ABCB1 and simulated in molecular docking studies.

RESULTS

Epimagnolin A inhibited calcein export by Flp-In-293/ABCB1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner in a calcein assay. ATPase assay revealed a concentration-dependent stimulation of the ATPase activity of ABCB1 by epimagnolin A. Epimagnolin A also showed saturation kinetics in the relationship between the compound-stimulated ATPase activity and the compound concentration, suggesting Michaelis-Menten kinetics similar to those of the control drug, verapamil. K_m and V_max values were calculated from Hanes-Woolf plots of (compound concentration) × (compound-stimulated ATPase activity)^-1 vs. (compound concentration); the K_m of epimagnolin and verapamil was 42.9 ± 7.53  μM and 12.3 ± 4.79  μM, respectively, and the corresponding V_max values were 156 ± 15.0  μM and 109 ± 3.18  μM. Molecular docking studies on human ABCB1 showed that epimagnolin A docked to the same binding pocket as verapamil, and 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays showed that the sensitivities of Flp-In-293/ABCB1 cells against anti-cancer drugs were enhanced upon exposure to 10  μM epimagnolin A.

CONCLUSION

These results strongly suggest that epimagnolin A affects the transport activity of ABCB1 as a substrate.

A validated LC-MS/MS method for the determination of tolterodine and its metabolite in rat plasma and application to pharmacokinetic study

Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method was used for simultaneous quantification of tolterodine and its metabolite 5-hydroxy methyl tolterodine in rat plasma. Tolterodine-d6 and 5-hydroxy methyl tolterodine-d14 were used as internal standards (IS). Chromatographic separation was performed on Ascentis Express RP amide (50 mm×4.6 mm, 2.7 μm) column with an isocratic mobile phase composed of 10 mM ammonium acetate and acetonitrile in the ratio of 20:80 (v/v), at a flow-rate of 0.5 mL/min. Tolterodine, tolterodine-d6, 5-hydroxy methyl tolterodine and 5-hydroxy methyl tolterodine-d14 were detected with proton adducts at m/z 326.1→147.1, 332.3→153.1, 342.2→223.1 and 356.2→223.1 in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) positive mode respectively. The drug, metabolite and internal standards were extracted by liquid–liquid extraction method. The method was validated over a linear concentration range of 20.00–5000.00 pg/mL for tolterodine and 20.00–5000.00 pg/mL for 5-hydroxy methyl tolterodine. This method demonstrated intra- and inter-day precision of 0.62–6.36% and 1.73–4.84% for tolterodine, 1.38–4.22% and 1.62–4.25% for 5-hydroxy methyl tolterodine respectively. This method also demonstrated intra- and inter-day accuracy of 98.75–103.56% and 99.20–104.40% for tolterodine, 98.08–104.67% and 98.73–103.06% for 5-hydroxy methyl tolterodine respectively. Both analytes were found to be stable throughout freeze–thaw cycles, bench top and postoperative stability studies. This method was successfully applied for the pharmacokinetic analysis of rat plasma samples following i.v. administration.

Liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry for the simultaneous determination of dimethoxyaschantin, dimethylliroresinol, dimethylpinoresinol, epimagnolin A, fargesin and magnolin in rat plasma

A rapid, selective, and sensitive liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the simultaneous determination of dimethoxyaschantin, dimethylliroresinol, dimethylpinoresinol, epimagnolin A, fargesin and magnolin, the pharmacologically active ingredients of Magnolia fargesii in rat plasma. These tetrahydrofurofuranoid lignans were extracted from rat plasma using tert-butyl methyl ether at pH 7.4. The analytes were separated on a Pinnacle DB biphenyl column with 65% methanol in 10 mm ammonium formate (pH 3.0) and detected by APCI tandem mass spectrometry in the selective reaction monitoring mode. The calibration curves were linear (r(2) ≥ 0.996) over the concentration range of 20.0-1000 ng/mL for six tetrahydrofurofuranoid lignans. The lower limit of quantification for these lignans was 20.0 ng/mL with 50 µL of plasma sample. The intra- and inter-assay coefficient of variation and relative error for the six tetrahydrofurofuranoid lignans at four quality control concentrations were 0.2-9.9% and -8.5-8.2%, respectively. There was no matrix effect for the six tetrahydrofurofuranoid lignans and tolterodine (internal standard). The pharmacokinetics of dimethylliroresinol, dimethylpinoresinol, epimagnolin A, fargesin and magnolin were evaluated after oral administration of a purified extract isolated from dried flower buds of Magnolia fargesii at doses of 5.5, 11.0 and 22.0 mg/kg in male rats.