Basic and Clinical Pharmacology

GHB is an endogenous, water-soluble, four-carbon fatty acid that is found in peripheral organs, including the heart, liver, kidney, and cardiac and skeletal 

Succinic semialdehyde (SSA) is synthesized in the mitochondria through transamination of y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) by GABA transaminase (GABA-T). Most of the SSA is oxidized by SSA dehydrogenase (SSA-DH) to form succinate, which is used for energy metabolism and results in the end products CO2 + H2O, which are expired. A small portion of SSA ( 2%) is converted by SSA reductase (SSA-R) in the cytosol to GHB. GHB may also be oxidized back to SSA by GHB dehydrogenase (GHB-DH). 

GHB has sedative, anxiolytic, and euphoric effects similar to ethanol, likely because of potentiation of cerebral GABAergic and dopaminergic activities. 

Another potential chnical use of GHB is in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal and alcohol dependence. In prechnical studies, GHB inhibited voluntary ethanol consumption in ethanol-preferring rats and suppressed the 

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Katzung BG, editor. Basic and clinical pharmacology. 10th ed. Norwalk (CN) Appleton and Lange 2007. 

Adapted from Lutty and Harrison (1977), Basic and Clinical Pharmacology Made Memorable, reproduced by permission of Harcourt Publishers. 

From Katzung (1997), Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, reproduced with permission from McGraw-Hill. 

Patrick du Souich, MD, PhD Chairman, Division of Clinical Pharmacology International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology... 

Thibonnier M, Coles P, Thibonnier A, and Shoham M. The basic and clinical pharmacology of nonpeptide vasopressin receptor antagonists. Ann Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2001 41 175-202. 

Basic and Clinical Pharmacology > Chapter 2. Drug Receptors Pharmacodynamics >... 

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