Blood–Brain Barrier Permeability of Bioactive Withanamides Present in Withania somnifera Fruit Extract

The neuroprotective effect of Withania somnifera L. Dunal fruit extract, in rodent models, is known. Withanamides, the primary active constituents in W. somnifera fruit extract exhibited neuroprotective effects against β‐amyloid‐induced cytotoxicity in neuronal cell culture studies. Therefore, we investigated the blood–brain barrier permeability of withanamides in W. somnifera fruit extract in mice using HPLC coupled with high resolution quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometer (Q‐TOF/MS) detection. Mice were administered with 250 mg/kg of W. somnifera extract by intraperitoneal injection, and the blood and brain samples analyzed by Q‐TOF/MS detection. Four major withanamides were detected in brain and blood of mice administered with W. somnifera extract. The results suggested that the withanamides crossed the blood–brain barrier. These results may help to develop W. somnifera fruit extract as a preventive or therapeutic botanical drug for stress‐induced neurological disorders. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.