Metabolic profiling of icaritin in rats using UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS

To identify the in vivo metabolites of icaritin and speculate its metabolic profiling in rats. The plasma, bile, urine, and feces of rats were collected after orally administration of icaritin at a dose of 100 mg/kg and detected by an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS) in both positive and negative modes. The data of treated and control groups were compared and analyzed with the aid of Metabolynx XS software. A total of 25 metabolites were identified in the biosamples, and 14 of them were reported for the first time to our knowledge. The main metabolite types of icaritin in rats were glucuronide conjugation, methylation, hydroxylation, reduction, and acetylation.