OBJECTIVETo determine the ginsenoside Rg2 and study its excretion in bile, feces and urine of rat.

METHODReversed phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method with an ultra-violet detector (UVD) was performed at a detection wavelength of 203 nm and with a Dikma Diamonsil C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm), which the mobile phase was consisted of methanol-aq. 4% H3PO4 (65:35), for determination of the ginsenoside Rg2 in bile, feces and urine after administration of the ginsenoside Rg2 to rat at a tail vein single dose of 20 mg x kg(-1).

RESULTThe HPLC-UVD method fulfilled all the standard requirements of linearity, recovery, precision, and accuracy. After tail vein administration of the ginsenoside Rg2 to rat, the 5.5 hour cumulative biliary excretion rate and the 24-hour cumulative feces excretion rate of intact ginsenoside Rg2 were 27.2% and 22.6% of the administered dose, respectively. But intact ginsenoside Rg2 could not be detected in urine during this experimental period.

CONCLUSIONThe bile and feces were the main excretion routs of the unchanged form after tail vein administration of the ginsenoside Rg2 to rat.