Detoxification mechanisms of a combination of Semen Strychni and Radix Glycyrrhizae: A comparative analyses of differences in toxicokinetics and tissue distribution after oral administration of Semen Strychni-Radix Glycyrrhizae decoction

To evaluate the detoxification effect of a combination of Radix Glycyrrhizae (GU) and Semen Strychni (SN) from toxicokinetics and drug tissue distribution perspectives, decoctions of processed SN and codecoction of SN and GU (SGN) were prepared, and an HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was developed to monitor the severe exposure level in 1-month toxicokinetics and tissue distribution experiments to detect brucine and strychnine in rats. The toxicokinetic characteristics and tissue distribution before and after the addition of GU were analyzed. The method was successfully applied to evaluate the toxicokinetics and tissue distribution before and after the combination of SN and GU. The results show that GU decreased the blood concentration of toxic components in SN, and a double peak was observed in the drug time curve. The results of tissue distribution show that a combination of GU and SN significantly decreased the accumulation of toxic substances in metabolic organs and accelerated the clearance of toxic substances in the brain. These results provide a reference for the toxicity reduction mechanism of GU combined with SN.