Specific and sensitive method for the determination of gamma-aminobutyric acid using gas chromatography with electron-capture or mass fragmentographic detection

A gas chromatographic method for the determination of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in brain tissue is described. After microwave fixation, the brains were dissected and homogenized in 0.1 N formic acid; delta-amino-n-valeric acid (AVA), a homologue of GABA, was then added as an internal standard. After centrifugation, aliquots of the supernatant were treated with cation-exchange paper to adsorb the amino acids. The eluates of this paper were dried and the residues subjected to reaction with trifluoroacetic anhydride and hexafluoroisopropanol. After removal of the derivatization reagents by evaporation, the residues were dissolved in ethyl acetate and an aliquot was analysed by gas chromatography with electron-capture or mass fragmentographic detection. Quantitation can be carried out by either peak-height or peak-area measurements. The specificity of this method has been demonstrated with brain tissue by simultaneous mass fragmentographic analysis. The sensitivity is comparable to that of mass fragmentographic methods and is in the femtomole range. The method is simple and readily automated.