With the excellent merits of wide analytical range, high sensitivity, small sample size, fast analysis speed, good repeatability, simple operation, low mobile phase consumption, as well as its capability of simultaneous isolation and identification, etc, mass spectrometry techniques have become widely used in the area of environmental science, energy chemical industry, biological medicine, and so on. This article reviews the application of mass spectrometry technology in biological sample analysis in the latest three years with the focus on the new applications in pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence, toxicokinetics, pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic, population pharmacokinetics, identification and fragmentation pathways of drugs and their metabolites and metabonomics to provide references for further study of biological sample analysis.

In order to analyze main influencing factors of exportation of Chinese traditional patent medicines to the EU and measure the potentialities, the panel data of the exportation of Chinese traditional patent medicines to 13 countries in the EU over the period from 2000 to 2011 were used to build a regression model. Then, this model was applied to estimate the export potentialities. The results showed that the GDPs of China and EU countries, the export prices of Chinese traditional patent medicines, the port capacities of EU countries and maritime distances between ports of two countries notably promote export trade. At the same time, unified standards of pesticide residue analysis are associated with reducing the volume of export trade. EU countries can be divided into two groups. One is the group with certain potentiality. The other is the group without ready potentiality. Suggestions were made on basis of research results in order to promote exportation of Chinese traditional patent medicines to the EU.

Objective To investigate the availability and safety of pulmonary rehabilitation for hospitalized patients with acute exacerba-tion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods Seventy-two hospitalized patients with acute exacerbation of COPD were randomly included into test group (n=36) and control group (n=36) from June, 2015 to June, 2016. All the patients accepted management of anti-infection, phlegm elimination, antiasthma, etc., as well as the guidance of expectoration and health education; while the test group ac-cepted pulmonary rehabilitation from the third day of admission to discharge. Their strength of hand grip, 1-minute sit-to-stand test (STST), the days of hospitalization, lung function parameters, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scores and COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores were measured before and after treatment. Results Compared with the control group, the strength of hand grip (t=2.985, P<0.01) and number of STST (t=2.024, P<0.05) increased, while the scores of CAT (t=3.222, P<0.01) and mMRC (t=2.212, P<0.05) de-creased in the test group. The hospital stay seemed to be shorter in the test group than in the control group, but there was no significant dif-ference (t=1.433, P>0.05). There was no significant difference in lung function after treatment in both groups (Z<1.031, P>0.05). Conclu-sion Pulmonary rehabilitation is effective on hospitalized patients with acute exacerbation of COPD in muscle strength, capability of activi-ties, and relieve the symptoms.

A high-performance liquid chromatography coupled ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) method was developed for a chemical fingerprint analysis ofViscum coloratum. Eighteen peaks were selected as the common peaks and Homoeriodictyol-7-O-β-D-apiosiyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucoside was used as a reference.The relative areas of common peaks were used for hierarchical clustering analysis and similarity calculation.Thirty-seven samples collected from different sources were classified imo five groups.The similarities of 21 batches Viscum coloratuma samples were beyond 0.90.The results obtained suggest that the chromatographic fingerprint can efficiently identify Viscum coloratum.Additionally,the fingerprints can then be used to evaluate the correlation between Viscum coloratum and hosts.

A high-performance liquid chromatography coupled ultraviolet （HPLC-UV） method was developed for a chemical fingerprint analysis of Viscum coloratura. Eighteen peaks were selected as the common peaks and Homoeriodictyol-7-O-β-D-apiosiyl-（1→2）-β-D-glucoside was used as a reference. The relative areas of common peaks were used for hierarchical clustering analysis and similarity calculation. Thirty-seven samples collected from different sources were classified into five groups. The similarities of 21 batches Viscum coloratura samples were beyond 0.90. The results obtained suggest that the chromatographic fingerprint can efficiently identify Viscum coloratum. Additionally, the fingerprints can then be used to evaluate the correlation between Viscum coloratura and hosts.

OBJECTIVETo determine 4 kinds of triterpenoid acids in Ganodermna lucidum, namely ganoderic acid C2, ganoderenic acid A, ganoderic acid A and ganoderic acid D quantitively.

METHODThe RP-HPLC method was applied and the separation was performed on a Kromasil C18 analytical column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm). The mobile phase was acetonitrile (A)-water containing 0.03% H3PO4 (B) with gradient elution mode at the flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The detection was set at 252 nm, and the column temperature was 35 degrees C.

RESULTThe linear ranges of ganoderic acid C2, ganoderenic acid A, ganoderic acid A and ganoderic acid D were 5.0-50.0 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.9999), 7.2-72 mg x L(-1) (r = 0.9998), 11.67-116.7 mg x L(-1) (r = 0.9999), 5.32-53.2 mg x L(-1) (r = 0.9996), respectively. The average recoveries (n=9) were 98.8% (RSD 1.5%), 99.1% (RSD 1.9%), 99.5% (RSD 1.4%), 98.5% (RSD 1.9%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe method is simple and accurate with a good reproducibility and can be used as a quality control method for G. lucidum of different sources.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Reishi ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo establish a method for simultaneous determination of alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, eucalyptol and alpha-terpineolin in essential oil from Alpinia officinarum by GC.

METHODThe essential oil was extracted by steam distillation. The determination was carried on with capillary column DB-1 (0.25 mm x 30 m, 0.25 microm). Temperature programs: 50 degrees C (hold 2 min) programmed to 130 degrees C (hold 3 min) at 8 degrees C x min(-1). The detector was FID. Inlet temperature was 230 degrees C. The detector temperature was 250 degrees C. Carrying gas was nitrogen (1.2 mL x min(-1)), split injection was conducted with split ratio of 10:1. Injection volumn was 1 microL.

RESULTThe linear ranges of alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, eucalyptol and alpha-terpineolin were 0.009-0.090 (r = 0.999 8), 0.009-0.091 (r = 0.999 8), 0.060 4-0.604 (r = 0.999 7) and 0.037 4-0.374 g x L(-1) (r = 0.999 5), respectively. The average recoveries (n = 9) of a-pinene, beta-pinene, eucalyptol and alpha-terpineolin were 96.2% (RSD 0.8%) and 96.7% (RSD 1.1%), 98.7% (RSD 1.1%) and 96.7% (RSD 2.2%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe developed method is simple, quick and accurate, which is helpful to control the quality of A. officinarum.

Alpinia ; chemistry ; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds ; analysis ; Chromatography, Gas ; methods ; Cyclohexanols ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Monoterpenes ; analysis ; Oils, Volatile ; analysis ; Terpenes ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo establish a RRLC-UV method for simultaneous determination of nine phenolic acids in Salvia miltiorrhiza.

METHOD3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid was used as internal standard, and analysis was carried out on an Agilent Zorbax Eclipse Plus C18 (2.1 mm x 50 mm, 1.8 microm) column with acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid aqueous solution as mobile phases in gradient elution. The flow rate was 0.3 mL x min(-1), and the UV detector was monitored at 286 nm.

RESULTAll calibration curves showed good linear regression within test ranges (r > or = 0.999 5); and the overall recoveries were in the range of 98.2%-102.6%, with RSD less than 3.1% (n = 3). The overall RSD of precision test were less than 2.4%.

CONCLUSIONThe developed method was simple, rapid, accurate and reproducible, and can be used for the quality control of S. miltiorrhiza.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Hydroxybenzoates ; analysis ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet

A simple, rapid and sensitive method based on an ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC–MS/MS)has been developed and validated for the determination of pimavanserin in rat plasma.The analyte was extracted by protein precipitation with methanol and separated on an ACQUITY BEH C18column(100 mm×2.1 mm,1.7μm;Waters,USA),with an isocratic elution of acetonitrile-water containing 10 mM ammonium acetate (70:30, v/v), at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min for 2.5 min. The analyte and clarithromycin (the internal standard) were detected and quantified in positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring transitions at m/z 428.2 → 223.0 for pimavanserin and m/z 748.5 → 589.5 for clarithromycin. Relative coefficient (r) for the calibration curve was more than 0.9980. The intra-day and inter-day precisions(relative standard deviation,RSD%)were less than 13.3% and 10.5%,respectively,and the accuracy(relative error,RE%)was within ± 11.5%.The analytical method was successfully applied to a routine pharmacokinetic study of pimavanserin in rats after oral administration at the dose of 10 mg/kg.