Abstract: Objective: To investigate the concentration distribution of gentiopicrin in the main organs and tissues of the rats before and after the preparation of gentian wine,and to provide the scientific basis for further discussion on the correlation between the processing methods and the efficacy of gentian. Methods: Sixty rats were randomly divided into gentian raw products group and gentian wine products group with 5 rats per group at each time point.The rats were given gentian raw products and gentian wine products (0.63 g·kg^-1) intragastrically and killed at 6 different time points (15, 30, 60, 120, 240 and 360min).The mass concentrations of gentiopicrin in heart,liver, spleen,lung,kidney and brain tissues of the rats in varrious groups were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(HPLC-MS) method at different time points. Results: The linear relationship of gentiopicrin in the range of 50-20000 μg·L^-1 was good (r ≥ 0.996 9).The relative standard deviation (RSD) of precision and stability of this method was less than 15%.The recovery rate was 77.4%-87.2%,and RSD was less than 15%,which was in accordance with the technical guidelines for the study of non-clinical pharmacokinetics of chemical drugs. The results of HPLC-MS method showed that gentiopicrin was widely distributed in the rats,including heart,liver, spleen,lung,kidney and brain tissues and so on.At the point of 30 min,the gentiopicrin concentrations from gentian raw products and wine products reached the peak in heart tissue,and reached the peak values in liver spleen and lung and kidney tissues at 60 min.Compared with the gentian raw products,the area under curve (AUC_{0→360 min}) of gentiopicrin in the gentian wine products in liver,lung and kidney tissues were significantly increased (P<0.01),the AUC_{0→360 min} in brain tissue was increased (P<0.01),but the AUC_{0→360 min} in heart and spleen tissues were slightly decreased(P<0.05). Conclusion: Gentian can promote the absorption and utilization of gentiopicrin in liver,kidney and other organs,and change the concentration distribution of gentiopicrin in the main organs and tissues of the rats by processing with wine.

Key words: gentian, gentiopicrin, high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, gentian wine products