Analytical Sciences

In vitro Penetration and in vivo Distribution of Honokiol into the Intervertebral Disc in Rat

Chia-Hsien CHEN,*1,*2 Chang-Jung CHIANG,*2,*5 Lien-Chen WU,*2 Chih-Hong YANG,*4 Yi-Jie KUO,*3,*5 and Tung-Hu TSAI*1,*6

*1 Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
*2 Department of Orthopaedics, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
*3 Department of Orthopaedics, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
*4 Department of Orthopaedics, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
*5 Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
*6 Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Honokiol is a potential candidate for the treatment of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. In this study, we develop in vitro and in vivo methods to detect the distribution of honokiol in intervertebral discs using high-performance liquid chromatography. A rat tail disc was used for both experimental models. For the in vivo animal experiment, blood samples and tail discs were collected at 15, 30, 60, 120 and 240 min after honokiol administration (30 mg/kg, i.v.). The analyte was separated by a mobile phase of methanol and 10 mM NaH₂PO₄ buffer at pH 2.8 (78:22, v/v) and pumped through a reversed-phase analytical column (250 × 4.6 mm, particle size 5 μm) at room temperature. The in vitro experimental results demonstrated that honokiol diffused into the intervertebral disc and was concentration-dependent. The active concentration is obtained for the therapeutic level at 15 and 30 min after honokiol administration in the in vivo model.

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