Effects of Shenmai Injection on the Pharmacokinetics of Dasatinib: An In-Depth In vivo Analysis Utilizing UPLC-MS/MS Technique

Background: Dasatinib has been widely used in the treatment of a variety of cancers, such as lung cancer and acute myeloid leukemia. Shenmai injection is a traditional Chinese medicine injection that is often used in antitumor adjuvant therapy. In recent years, dasatinib combined with Shenmai injection has been increasingly used to treat tumors clinically. However, the potential risks and benefits of co-administering Shenmai injection and dasatinib are unclear. Objective: The study aimed to investigate the potential influence of Shenmai injection on dasatinib pharmacokinetics. Methods: Twelve rats were selected and randomly divided into two groups: dasatinib alone and a combination of dasatinib and Shenmai injection. To measure the concentration of dasatinib in rat plasma, blood samples were obtained from the orbital vein. Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, the concentration of dasatinib was determined to obtain pharmacokinetic parameters. Results: Compared to the dasatinib alone administration, the maximum concentration of the dasatinib plus Shenmai injection administration was decreased (355.9 ± 194.9 vs. 199.2 ± 73.8 ng·mL−1) (P < 0.05). Moreover, the area under the moment curve (3867.0 ± 2141.9 vs. 6355.3 ± 3311.6 ng·mL−1·h2) and mean residence time (3.7 ± 1.2 vs. 6.5 ± 3.1 h) showed a statistically significant increase (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The study revealed that Shenmai injection might have the capacity to slow down the absorption rate of dasatinib and could extend the retention period of dasatinib in the body, resulting in stabilized blood drug concentrations and a reduction in adverse drug reactions.