Frontiers in Pharmacology (Feb 2022)

Pharmacokinetics, Tissue Distribution, and Excretion Characteristics of a Radix Polygoni Multiflori Extract in Rats

  • Wenhao Cheng,
  • Wenhao Cheng,
  • Siyang Wu,
  • Zheng Yuan,
  • Weiyu Hu,
  • Xin Yu,
  • Nianxin Kang,
  • Qiutao Wang,
  • Mingying Zhu,
  • Kexin Xia,
  • Wei Yang,
  • Chen Kang,
  • Shuofeng Zhang,
  • Yingfei Li

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.827668
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

Read online

Although progress has been achieved in the pharmacological activity and toxicity of Radix Polygoni Multiflori (RPM), the chemical basis of its toxicity is still unclear. Here, we performed a multicompound pharmacokinetic analysis and investigated the tissue distribution and excretion characteristics of RPM components after oral administration in rats. The findings demonstrated that the active ingredients of the RPM extract were quickly absorbed after oral administration, with high exposure levels of emodin, 2,3,5,4′-teterahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside (TSG), citreorosein, torachrysone-8-O-glucoside (TG), emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside (EG), and physcion-8-O-β-D-glucoside (PG). The tissue distributions of emodin, TSG, TG, EG, and PG were high in the liver and kidney. These components were the key contributors to the effectiveness and toxicity of RPM on the liver and kidney. Most of the active ingredients were mainly excreted through feces and bile, while a few were converted into other products in the body and excreted through urine and feces.

Keywords