An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for monoester-type aconitic alkaloids and its application in the pharmacokinetic study of benzoylhypaconine in rats

A new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for quantitative determination of monoester-type aconitic alkaloids was developed. The antibodies derived from the immunogen of benzoylmesaconine (BM) could be electively affined to benzoylaconitine-type alkaloids with an ester bond (14-benzoyl-), especially to benzoylhypaconine (BH, 140.02% of cross-reactivity). The effective working range of BH was 1 ng/ml to 5 μg/ml; the lower limit of detection and the quantification were 0.35 and 0.97 ng/ml, respectively. The values of CV for intra-day and inter-day assays and recovery ratios were in acceptable ranges. The results of stability experiments were also satisfactory. This validated method was employed for pharmacokinetic study of BH in rats and the bioavailability orally administered was estimated to be 16.3%.