Kinetic distribution of paeoniflorin in cortex of normal and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rats after intravenous administration ofPaeoniae Radix extract

The time course of paeoniflorin in the cortex of normal and cerebral ischemia–reperfusion rats, following intravenous administration of Paeoniae Radix extract at a dose of 60 mg/kg of paeoniflorin, was determined using high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay. The results showed that paeoniflorin could penetrate through the blood–brain barrier to reach the cortex, and that the injuries of ischemia–reperfusion could play an important role in pharmacokinetic process of paeoniflorin in the cortex after intravenous administration of Paeoniae Radix extract. The cortex concentrations of paeoniflorin in cerebral ischemia–reperfusion rats were lower 5 min after dosing and declined more slowly than that in normal control. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.