Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB) for the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence: A Review
نویسندگان
چکیده
Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a short-chain fatty acid structurally similar to the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid. Clinical trials have demonstrated that 50-100 mg/kg of GHB fractioned into three or six daily doses is able to suppress alcohol withdrawal symptoms and facilitates the maintenance of abstinence from alcohol. These studies have also shown that GHB craving episodes are a very limited phenomenon (about 10-15%). Thus, physicians with access should consider the clinical efficacy of GHB as a valid pharmacological tool for the treatment of alcohol addiction.
منابع مشابه
Clinical features and management of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) withdrawal: a review.
AIM To examine the clinical course of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) withdrawal and generate management guidelines. DESIGN Review and analysis of all published reports of GHB or GHB precursor withdrawal identified from electronic searches. FINDINGS In total, 38 cases of GHB (n = 28) or GHB precursor (n = 10) withdrawal were identified, 36 of which were from the US. A rapidly deteriorating cour...
متن کاملGamma-hydroxybutyric acid: patterns of use, effects and withdrawal.
Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is gaining popularity as a drug of abuse. Reports of toxicity and lethality associated with GHB use have increased. This survey study was designed to identify patterns of GHB use, its effects, and withdrawal syndrome. A survey inquiring about the effects of GHB was administered to 42 users. The results showed that GHB was used to increased feelings of euphoria, r...
متن کاملThe reactivity of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) in alcoholic solutions.
In this work the stability of GBL (gamma-butyrolactone) and GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid) in alcoholic media was studied. Under acidic conditions the GBL will react with ethanol or methanol to give the corresponding ethyl and methyl esters of GHB. It can be seen that ester formation is dependent on the type of alcohol, the alcohol content of the solution, and the pH of the solution. Under the...
متن کاملGamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) Critical Review Report Expert Committee on Drug Dependence Thirty-fifth Meeting
متن کامل
A tertiary alcohol analog of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid as a specific gamma-hydroxybutyric acid receptor ligand.
gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) shows great promise as a treatment for sleeping disorders but is also increasingly abused. The exact mechanism of action of GHB is yet to be delineated, but it is known to interact with specific GHB binding sites or receptors, to act as a weak agonist at GABA(B) receptors, and that GHB undergoes metabolism to GABA. In drug discrimination studies, GABA(B) agonists...
متن کامل