Sanguinarine (SA) is a benzo[c] phenanthridine alkaloid which has a variety of pharmacological properties. However, very little was known about the pharmacokinetics of SA and its metabolite dihydrosanguinarine (DHSA) in pigs. The purpose of this work was to study the intestinal metabolism of SA in vitro and in vivo. Reductive metabolite DHSA was detected during incubation of SA with intestinal mucosa microsomes, cytosol, and gut flora. After oral (p.o.) administration of SA, the result showed SA might be reduced to DHSA in pig intestine. After i.m. administration, SA and DHSA rapidly increased...
