Liver, blood microdialysate and plasma pharmacokinetics of matrine following transdermal or intravenous administration.

Matrine is contained in several herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, named Sophora alopecuroides, Sophora flavescens or Sophora subprostrata. In vitro and in vivo studies have focused on the treatment of chronic hepatitis or liver fibrosis using matrine. However, little is known about its liver pharmacokinetic profile. In this study pharmacokinetics of matrine in rat organs and tissues, such as liver, blood and skin were studied after intravenous (40 mg/kg) or transdermal administration (6 mg/cm2, 5 cm2). Samples were collected at timed intervals for measurement of matrine by a HPLC-UV method. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by non-compartmental analysis using DAS 2.0. The AUC(0-t) values in the liver, blood microdialysates and plasma after intravenous administration were 395.91±74.48, 848.86±146.35 and 1304.07±305.92 min·mg/l, respectively. Following transdermal administration, the AUC(0-t) value in the liver, blood, plasma and skin microdialysates were 695.30±233.79, 1096.07±390.71, 2767.57±518.48 and 42735.77±27938.33 min·mg/l, respectively. Here, we show a promising delivery system for matrine that could replace traditional administration, and a better understanding of the transdermal pharmacokinetics of matrine, which may be helpful for further clinical and laboratory studies.