Abstract: AIM: To establish a sensitive HPLC method for determining the concentrations of paeonol in human plasma and to evaluate its pharmacokinetic characteristics. METHODS: A single oral dose of 160mg paeonol capsules was given to 24 Chinese healthy volunteers. Paeonol was separated on a XB-C18 column with tetrahydrofuran-methanol-water-phosphonic acid (6:60:34: 0.1, V:V) as mobile phase.The plasma concentrations of paeonol were determined and its pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated and evaluated using DAS 2.0. RESULTS: The linear range of the paeonol was 10-500 ng/mL and the determination limit was 10 ng/mL.The main pharmacokinetic parameters, as C_max, t_max, t_1/2, AUC0-3, AUC_0-∞ after a single dose of paeonol capsules were (116±46) ng/mL, (1.02±0.13) h, (1.03±0.35) h, (174±45) ng/mL, (217±56) ng/mL, respectively. CONCLUSION: The HPLC method for determining paeonol concentration in plasma is rapid, sensitive and suitable for pharmacokinetic studies.

Key words: paeonol, HPLC, drug blood concentration, phamacokinetics