Influence of dosage forms on pharmacokinetics of daidzein and its main metabolite daidzein-7-O-glucuronide in rats

Aim: To investigate the influence of dosage forms on the pharmacokinetics of daidzein and its main metabolite daidzein-7-O-glucuronide in Wistar rats.

Methods: After administration of two typical dosage forms (daidzein solution and suspension), the concentrations of daidzein and daidzein-7-O-glucuronide were determined by an LC-MS-MS method. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated and analyzed statistically using the Student's t-test.

Results: Absorption of daidzein after administration of daidzein solution (tmax=0.46 h) was more rapid than that of the suspension (tmax=5.00 h). The peak plasma concentrations of daidzein after administration of daidzein solution and suspension were 601.1 microg/L and 127.3 microg/L, respectively, and those of daidzein-7-O-glucuronide were 3000 microg/L and 192.6 microg/L, respectively. The absolute bioavailabilities of free daidzein in rats after administration of daidzein solution and suspension were 12.8% and 6.1%, respectively, which were calculated to be 47.0% and 12.2%, respectively, in the form of total daidzein (free plus conjugated daidzein).

Conclusion: Absorption of daidzein solution was better than absorption of suspension (P<0.05).