Mass fragmentographic quantitation of glutamic acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid in cerebellar nuclei and sympathetic ganglia of rats.

A method for the simultaneous quantitation of glutamic acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in tissue by mass fragmentography has been developed. The amino and carboxylic groups of the two amino acids were in a convenient one-step reaction derivatized with pentafluoropropionic anhydride and hexafluoroisopropanol. Deuterium-labeled glutamic acid and GABA and a homologue of GABA have been used as internal standards. The usefulness of the technique has been demonstrated by measurements in parts of rat cerebellum and in the superior cervical ganglion.