Identification and characterization of active compounds and their metabolites by high-performance liquid chromatography/Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry after oral administration of a herbal extract ofEpimedium koreanumNakai to rats

Epimedium is an important traditional Chinese medicine that is widely used throughout China as a tonic, aphrodisiac, and antirheumatic medicine. Flavonoids are considered to be the active compounds in Epimedium . In the study reported here, high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with Fourier transform‐ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (HPLC/FTICR‐MS) was developed to identify active compounds and their metabolites after oral...