A quantitative study of acetylcholine in Hirschsprung's disease.

This is the first report on acetylcholine (Ach) quanititaion of the aganglionic colon by a chemical assay. Ach content in the colon of Hirschsprung's disease was measured by pyrolysis gas chromatography, which was found to be a simple, accurate, and reliable method. Microwave irradiation on the surgical resected specimens was performed before extraction procedure to abolish acetylcholinesterase (Ach-E) and cholineacetyltransferase (CAT) activity in the tissue. Ach content in the ganglionic colon was 8.51 +/- 3.15 nmole/g (n 5 in contrast to 23.79 +/- 14.17 nmole/g (n = 19) in the aganglionic segment of Hirschsprung's disease. The meaning of elevated Ach level in the aganglionic segment was discussed from the pathophysiologic standpoint.