Reduction of Excess Acetylcholine in the Serum of Pernicious Anemia Patients by Treatment With Pteroyl Glutamic Acid, Liver Extract, or Ventriculin

Abstract

Serum acetylcholine (ACh) concs. were estimated on 3 patients with pernicious anemia, 2 being in relapse and 2 in therapeutic remission. Three patients in relapse had ACh concs. varying from 15-18 [gamma]/100 ml. of serum. On the 7th or 8th day of treatment the conc. was about 6.5 [gamma] % in their sera, while 2 patients in remission, upon returning for maintenance treatment with liver, had 8 and 10 [gamma] % of ACh. The patients in relapse were treated with different prepns. One received 60 mg. of pteroyl glutamic acid intramuscularly/day; one received 40 g. of ventriculin daily; and one received 1 unit of liver extract/day, intramusc. All the patients showed a reduction of about 60% from their high ACh levels. Serum AChase activity was present in the serum of these patients during relapse and was proportional to the red cell count.