An LC-MS/MS method for synchronous determination of paclitaxel and curcumin: development, validation, and application to a pharmacokinetic study

Background: A chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was first established and validated for the synchronous determination of curcumin(CUR) and paclitaxel (PTX) in this study. Objective: An LC-MS/MS Method for Determination of Paclitaxel and Curcumin. Methods: The analytes were extracted with methanol, and docetaxel was used as the internal standard (IS). The analytes and the IS were separated on a C-18 (4.6 mm x 50 mm, 3.5 mu m) column with a mobile phase of 0.1% formic acid solution and methanol (80:20, v/v). The flow velocity of the mobile phase was 0.5 mL/min. And then, the method was applied to study the pharmacokinetic behavior of CUR and PTX in rats. Results: The calibration curves were linear within the concentration ranges of 2-1000 ng/mL for PTX and 5-500 ng/mL for CUR, the mean extraction recoveries and matrix effects of PTX, CUR, and the IS were within an acceptable range. The apparent volume of distribution of PTX was different between the group of administration of PTX and the group of co-administration with CUR and PTX. Conclusion: A sensitive and simple liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was established and validated for the synchronous determination of PTX and CUR in rat plasma, CUR increased the apparent volume of distribution of PTX when CUR and PTX were co-administered.