RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Systemic Exposure to and Disposition of Catechols Derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza Roots (Danshen) after Intravenous Dosing DanHong Injection in Human Subjects, Rats, and Dogs JF Drug Metabolism and Disposition JO Drug Metab Dispos FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 679 OP 690 DO 10.1124/dmd.114.061473 VO 43 IS 5 A1 Meijuan Li A1 Fengqing Wang A1 Yühong Huang A1 Feifei Du A1 Chenchun Zhong A1 Olajide E. Olaleye A1 Weiwei Jia A1 Yanfen Li A1 Fang Xu A1 Jiajia Dong A1 Jian Li A1 Justin B. R. Lim A1 Buchang Zhao A1 Lifu Jia A1 Li Li A1 Chuan Li YR 2015 UL http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/43/5/679.abstract AB DanHong injection is a Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza roots)-based injectable solution for treatment of coronary artery disease and ischemic stroke. Danshen catechols are believed to be responsible for the injection’s therapeutic effects. This study aimed to characterize systemic exposure to and elimination of Danshen catechols in human subjects, rats, and dogs receiving intravenous DanHong injection. A total of 28 catechols were detected, with content levels of 0.002–7.066 mM in the injection, and the major compounds included tanshinol, protocatechuic aldehyde, salvianolic acid B, rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acids A and D, and lithospermic acid with their daily doses ≥10 μmol/subject. After dosing, tanshinol, salvianolic acid D, and lithospermic acid exhibited considerable exposure in human subjects and rats. However, only tanshinol had considerable exposure in dogs. The considerable exposure to tanshinol was due to its having the highest dose, whereas that to salvianolic acid D and lithospermic acid was due to their relatively long elimination half-lives in the human subjects and rats. Protocatechuic aldehyde and rosmarinic acid circulated in the bloodstream predominantly as metabolites; salvianolic acids A and B exhibited low plasma levels with their human plasma metabolites little or not detected. Tanshinol and salvianolic acid D were eliminated mainly via renal excretion. Elimination of other catechols involved hepatobiliary and/or renal excretion of their metabolites. Methylation was found to be the primary metabolism for most Danshen catechols and showed intercompound and interspecies differences in rate and degree in vitro. The information gained here is relevant to pharmacological and toxicological research on DanHong injection.