Choline acetyltransferase in the nettle Urtica dioica L.

Extracts of acetone-dried powders prepared from nettle leaves were shown to catalyse the synthesis of acetylcholine. The specific activity of the enzyme in these extracts is of the same order as that of extracts from mammalian sources, such as ox brain, and the effects of temperature and pH are similar to those reported for mammalian choline acetyltransferase. Synthesis is not restricted to the younger leaves but appears to be continuous up to senescence.