PONE-D-23-42394In vivo pharmacokinetics of ginsenoside compound K mediated by gut microbiotaPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. wang,

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This research was supported by the National Natural Scientific Foundation of China (82074000, 81903784), the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (2023JJ4971), the Scientific Research Program of Furong laboratory (2023SK2083), the Scientific Research Project of Department of Education of Hunan Province (20K136).

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Reviewers' comments:

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Reviewer #1: Partly

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Reviewer #1: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

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Reviewer #1: The authors have presented a pharmacokinetic study of Ginsenoside Compound K (GCK) in rats and the effect of microbiota on the pharmacokinetics of said compound.

The manuscript needs major revision before further consideration for publication. Key information is missing without which the study has no credibility. Occasionally, the methodology is weak and does not fully justify the presented results.

1. In the section ‘Instruments and condition’ MRM transitions of drug molecules were not mentioned. No quantification can be done without this information.

2. Collision gas and its flow rate not mentioned.

3. No re-equilibration time has been provided to the system which is essential for a gradient elution program.

4. Calibration standards and quality control: analytical range not mentioned for QCs and calibration standards.

5. System suitability parameters (tailing factor, theoretical plates) have not been mentioned.

6. The chromatograms are not legible. No information about Molecular ion peaks or daughter ions has been provided.

7. English usage is not up to the standard. Phrases like ‘all animals were intra-gastric administration’ and ‘The peak areas near all the analytes in the blank plasma were satisfied less than 20% of all the analytes’ are few examples.

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Reviewer #1: No

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In vivo pharmacokinetics of ginsenoside compound K mediated by gut microbiota

PONE-D-23-42394R1

Dear Dr. wang,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

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Kind regards,

Muhammad Hanif

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

I have gone throuigh the revision submitted by the authors and found satisfactory for the publication

Reviewers' comments: