Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate Toxicity

Excerpt

First synthesized in 1960, gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) was originally used as an anesthetic. While it did not gain much esteem in health care due to poor analgesia and adverse effects, including seizure-like activity, GHB gained significant popularity as a sleep aid, bodybuilding, and weight loss supplement. GHB was prohibited by the United States Food and Drug Administration in 1990 and is currently a Schedule I drug in the United States. It has been labeled a date rape drug and is also illicitly used for recreational purposes, particularly at dance clubs and raves. Street names include G, Gamma OH, Georgia Home Boy, Liquid Ecstasy, and Liquid X.