Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (4-hydroxybutanoic acid, C4H8O3), commonly abbreviated GHB, is a neuroprotective therapeutic drug that is illegal in a number of countries, and is a naturally-occurring substance found in the central nervous system, wine, beef, small citrus fruits, and almost all living creatures in small amounts. It is currently regulated in the US and sold by Jazz Pharmaceuticals under the name Xyrem.
In a medical setting, GHB has been used historically as a general anesthetic, to treat conditions such as insomnia, clinical depression, narcolepsy, and alcoholism, and to improve athletic performance. It is also used illegally under the street names Juice, Liquid Ecstasy, Fantasy, “Georgia Homeboy”, and simply G, either as an intoxicant or as a date rape drug. GHB is naturally produced in the human body’s cells and is structurally related to the ketone body beta-hydroxybutyrate. As a drug, it is used most commonly in the form of a salt. GHB is also produced as a result of fermentation, and so is found in small quantities in some beers and wines.
GHB was widely used in France, Italy, and other European countries for several decades as a sleeping agent and an anaesthetic in childbirth, but problems with its abuse potential and development of newer drugs have led to a decrease in legitimate medical use of GHB in recent times. The only common medical applications for GHB now days are in the treatment of narcolepsy and more rarely alcoholism. In the typical scenario, GHB has been synthesized from GBL (gamma-butyrolactone) by adding sodium hydroxide (lye) in ethanol or water. As of late, GBL has become controlled and more circuitous routes have to be taken, such as those starting with THF
GHB is a CNS depressant used as an intoxicant. It has many street names, including Liquid Ecstasy and Liquid X. At recreational doses, GHB can cause a state of euphoria, increased enjoyment of movement and music, increased libido, increased sociability and intoxication. At higher doses, GHB may induce nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, agitation, visual disturbances, depressed breathing, amnesia, unconsciousness, and death. The effects of GHB can last from 1.5 to 3 hours, or even longer if large doses have been consumed or if it is mixed with alcohol
The drug has been referred to in the media as a date rape drug, in much the same way as alcohol and Rohypnol. As it is colourless and odorless, it has been described as “very easy to add to drinks”. GHB has been used in many cases of drug-related sexual assault, usually when the victim is vulnerable due to intoxication with a sedative, generally alcohol or more rarely cannabis, and as such are less likely to notice a strange taste to his or her drink. However it is difficult to establish how often GHB is used to facilitate rape as it is difficult to detect in a urine sample after a day, and many victims may not recall the rape until some time after this. GHB produced as a sodium salt (sodium oxybate) may provide a noticeable salty character to the drink, although individual sensitivity to the taste of salt varies. GHB can also be produced as different salts, some of which may not have a taste as distinctive as the sodium salt (e.g., magnesium oxybate), or much less commonly in the unstable free-acid form
