ABSTRACT
Soon after the discovery of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in brain tissue and its possible role in central nervous system (CNS) function (Roberts and Frankel 1950), researchers became interested in the systemic administration of GABA to study its pharmacological effects in the intact animal. Unfortunately, the blood-brain barrier prevented most of the amino acid getting into the brain. Because of its structural resemblance to GABA, the fatty acid derivative γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) was synthesized as a potential GABA mimetic (Laborit 1964). At that time, it was known that the intraperitoneal injection of sodium n-butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids had a hypnotic action in rabbits (White and Samson 1956). Since butyric acid was known to be rapidly metabolized by - oxidation, Laborit felt that GHB might undergo a reduced metabolic degradation and consequently exhibit a prolonged pharmacological effect.
