Comparisons of pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of six major bioactive components of the herbal pair Alpinia officinarum-Cyperus rotundus in normal and primary dysmenorrhea rats

The Liangfu formula, as described in 'Liangfang Jiye', is well-known for its efficacy in treating stomach pain, abdominal pain, and dysmenorrhea. This research aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of 5-hydroxy-7-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-3-heptanone (DPHA), Galangin, Kaempferide, 5-Hydroxy-1,7-diphenyl-3-heptanone (DPHC), α-Cyperone, and Nootkatone in vivo using an LC-MS/MS method. The method successfully separated the six active components and internal standards (Chrysin and Yakuchinone-A) on an XB-C18 column with a mobile phase of 0.2 ‰ formic acid water-acetonitrile. It demonstrated good linearity with a correlation coefficient (r 2 ) ≥ 0.9911 and a lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 5–80 ng/mL for the different components. Precision, accuracy, matrix effects, and recovery rates were within acceptable ranges. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed significant differences in parameters between primary dysmenorrhea (PD) and normal rats (especially AUC, T max, and CL z /F). Tissue distribution showed that the six active components of the herbal pair Alpinia officinarum Hance- Cyperus rotundus L. (HPAC) extract was primarily distributed in the liver, lung, and kidney. This study offers valuable insights into the potential mechanisms of action and drug development for treating PD.