ABSTRACT
GHB (HOOC-CH2-CH2-CH2OH) is a naturally occurring metabolite of β-aminobutyric acid (GABA). It is found in the central nervous system, kidney, heart, skeletal muscle and brown fat. It was synthesized in the 1960s and used as a sedative pre-medicant and an intravenous anaesthetic induction agent. Its side effects include vomiting and epileptic features precluded its use. It has also been used for the treatment of narcolepsy and experimentally for the treatment of alcohol dependance and opiate withdrawal. In the 1990s in the United States it was used illicitly and banned by the FDA. It became available in the UK in nightclubs since 1994. It is not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act and therefore it is not an offence to consume this drug. It is used in the rave scene for its euphoric effects and increased libido. It is a colourless, odourless, liquid with a mild, soapy, salt taste. It is usually taken orally but may also be injected.
