Γ-Hydroxybutyric acid
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| Addiction liability | High |
| Routes of administration | By mouth, intravenous |
| Drug class | GABA analogue, GHB receptor agonists—GABA receptor agonist; Psycholeptic;
Depressant; Hypnotic Sedative |
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| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Bioavailability | 25% (oral) |
| Metabolism | 95–98%, mainly liver, also in blood and tissues |
| Onset of action | Within 5–15 minutes |
| Elimination half-life | 30–60 minutes |
| Excretion | 1–5%, kidney |
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| ECHA InfoCard | 100.218.519 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C4H8O3 |
| Molar mass | 104.105 g·mol−1 |
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γ-Hydroxybutyric acid, also known as gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, GHB, or 4-hydroxybutanoic acid, is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter and a depressant drug. It is a precursor to GABA, glutamate, and glycine in certain brain areas. It acts on the GHB receptor and is a weak agonist at the GABAB receptor. GHB has been used in the medical setting as a general anesthetic and as treatment for cataplexy, narcolepsy, and alcoholism. The substance is also used illicitly for various reasons, including as a performance-enhancing drug, date rape drug, and as a recreational drug.
It is commonly used in the form of a salt, such as sodium γ-hydroxybutyrate (NaGHB, sodium oxybate, or Xyrem) or potassium γ-hydroxybutyrate (KGHB, potassium oxybate). GHB is also produced as a result of fermentation, and is found in small quantities in some beers and wines, beef, and small citrus fruits.
Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency is a disease that causes GHB to accumulate in the blood.