Table 5. Stability Data for Artemisinin, Deoxyartemisinin, and 10-Deoxoartemisinin in Rat Plasma under Different Storage Conditions Determined by the LC–MS/MS Technique (n = 5).

		concentration (ng/mL)
compound	storage condition	spiked (ng/mL)	measured (ng/mL)	RSD (%)	accuracy (%, RE)
artemisinin	autosampler for 24 h (4 °C)	2.00	1.91 ± 0.02	1.05	95.7
		50.0	45.5 ± 0.66	1.45	91.0
		800	777 ± 6.68	0.86	97.1
	three freeze/thaw cycles	2.00	1.90 ± 0.02	1.06	95.2
		50.0	47.6 ± 0.52	1.09	95.2
		800	770 ± 9.11	1.18	96.3
	long-term (30 days at –80 °C)	2.00	1.95 ± 0.02	0.93	97.3
		50.0	45.7 ± 1.46	3.21	91.3
		800	762 ± 9.29	1.22	95.2
deoxyartemisinin	autosampler for 24 h (4 °C)	2.00	2.18 ± 0.10	4.04	99.0
		50.0	53.9 ± 1.66	4.04	99.0
		800	782 ± 26.3	4.04	99.0
	three freeze/thaw cycles	2.00	1.98 ± 0.08	4.49	109.1
		50.0	52.3 ± 0.99	4.49	109.1
		800	774 ± 16.0	4.49	109.1
	long-term (30 days at –80 °C)	2.00	2.03 ± 0.07	3.26	101.5
		50.0	54.2 ± 1.91	3.53	108.4
		800	768 ± 50.2	6.53	96.0
10-deoxoartemisinin	autosampler for 24 h (4 °C)	2.00	1.95 ± 0.11	9.41	97.5
		50.0	46.7 ± 2.04	9.20	93.4
		800	816 ± 43.2	5.51	102
	three freeze/thaw cycles	2.00	2.05 ± 0.08	4.39	102.5
		50.0	56.1 ± 2.05	8.47	112.2
		800	775 ± 42.8	1.67	96.9
	long-term (30 days at –80 °C)	2.00	2.04 ± 0.05	6.63	102
		50.0	48.7 ± 1.22	5.09	97.4
		800	827 ± 35.2	4.16	103.4