Effect of Wuzhi Capsule (WZC) on the Pharmacokinetics of Tacrolimus in Renal Transplantation Recipients

Background: Previous studies have shown that WZC can increase tacrolimus blood concentration when co-administered. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the pharmacokinetics of both tacrolimus and the bioactive lignans in WZC when administered simultaneously in renal transplantation patients. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus and multiple bioactive lignans in Wuzhi capsule (WZC) when co-administered with 5 bioactive components in renal transplantation recipients. Objective: The objective of this study was to develop a method for simultaneous quantification of tacrolimus and multiple bioactive lignans in WZC using liquid-liquid extraction followed by LC-MS/MS analysis. Method: A liquid-liquid extraction method combined with LC-MS/MS analysis was developed for simultane-ous quantification of tacrolimus and multiple bioactive lignans in WZC. Human whole blood samples were analyzed, and the accuracy and precision of the method were evaluated. Result: The developed method showed good linearity and accuracy for the quantification of tacrolimus and bioactive lignans in WZC. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed significant effects of WZC co-administration on both V/F and CL/F in renal transplantation patients. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that simultaneous administration of WZC had notable effects on the pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus and bioactive lignans in renal transplantation patients. The developed method proved to be reliable and sensitive for determining the whole blood concentrations of tacrolimus and WZC, making it suitable for pharmacokinetic studies in transplant patients. other: None.