Clinical Chemistry
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Clinical Chemistry 47: 2033-2034, 2001;
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (10)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kintz, P.
Right arrow Articles by Ludes, B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kintz, P.
Right arrow Articles by Ludes, B.
Related Collections
Right arrow General Clinical Chemistry
Right arrow Drug Monitoring and Toxicology
(Clinical Chemistry. 2001;47:2033-2034.)
© 2001 American Association for Clinical Chemistry, Inc.

Technical Briefs

Window of Detection of {gamma}-Hydroxybutyrate in Blood and Saliva

Pascal Kintz1a, Jean-Pierre Goullé2, Vincent Cirimele1 and Bertrand Ludes1

1 Institut de Médecine Légale, 11 rue Humann, F-67000 Strasbourg, France

2 Centre Hospitalier du Havre, 76083 Le Havre, France

aauthor for correspondence: fax 33-3-90-24-33-62, e-mail pascal.kintz@wanadoo.fr

{gamma}-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is an endogenous constituent of the brain, produced by the metabolism of {gamma}-aminobutyric acid and believed to play a role in neurotransmission (1). GHB is a suppressant of the central nervous system that is used in some countries as an anesthetic adjunct and is also sometimes used in treating sleep disorders and alcoholism (2). The primary effects of GHB are those of a depressant and can include reducing inhibition, increasing libido, and causing amnesia, seizure, unconsciousness, coma, and death.

In recent years, GHB has gained popularity as an illicit drug. It is abused by young people at nightclubs or raves, mainly for its euphorigenic and hallucinogenic effects. The drug has been promoted among bodybuilders because it is alleged to possess anabolic properties. Moreover, criminals can use GHB to narcotize potential victims, and therefore, the drug is used in drug-facilitated sexual assaults resulting from sedation and reduced inhibitions (3).

GHB has a half-life of 20–53 min, which appears to increase with higher doses (4). Because the . . . [Full Text of this Article]


References






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2001 by the American Association for Clinical Chemistry.