Quantitative Analysis of the Chemoprevention Agent Isoliquiritigenin in Rat Plasma Using Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry

摘要

A flavonoid occurring in licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis), isoliquiritigenin (2,4,4'- trihydroxychalcone) is under investigation as a cancer chemoprevention agent. Isoliquiritigenin has been reported to induce cell cycle arrest and up-regulate p21 expression in lung cancer cells, suppress pulmonary metastasis of mouse renal cell carcinoma through activation of the immune system, and induce apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells [1-2]. In support of pharmacokinetic and toxicological evaluations, an assay based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) was developed for the quantitative analysis of isoliquiritigenin in plasma.