GHB

Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (SSADHD) is a neurometabolic disorder caused by ALDH5A1 mutations presenting with autism and epilepsy. SSADHD leads to impaired GABA metabolism and results in accumulation of GABA and γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), which alter neurotransmission and are thought to lead to neurobehavioral symptoms. However, why increased inhibitory neurotransmitters lead to seizures remains unclear. We used induced pluripotent stem cells from SSADHD patients (one female and two male) and differentiated them into GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons...

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is an X-linked genetic disorder characterized by reduced G6PD enzyme levels in the blood. This condition is common in populations exposed to malaria; an acute febrile disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. G6PD-deficient individuals may suffer from acute hemolysis following the prescription of Primaquine, an antimalarial treatment. The population at risk for such a condition includes the Senoi group of Orang Asli, a remote indigenous community in Malaysia...

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), along with its precursors, 1,4-butanediol (1,4-BD) and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), are potent central depressant agents widely illicitly used for their euphoric and relaxant effects. The article presents a review of the literature on the 1,4-BD misuse, the clinical picture of intoxication, development of addiction and delirium. The available evidence shows that 1,4-BD is a substance with its own psychoactive effects, a high addiction potential and potentially severe withdrawal symptoms...

γ-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a date-rape drug, causes certain symptoms, such as amnesia, confusion, ataxia, and unconsciousness, when dissolved in beverages and consumed by a victim. Commonly, assailants use GHB in secret for the crime of drug-facilitated sexual assault because it is tasteless, odorless, and colorless when dissolved in beverages. Generally, GHB detection methods are difficult to use promptly and secretly in situ and in real life because of the necessary detection equipment and low selectivity...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of genital hygiene behavior (GHB) and vaginal douching (VD) of pregnant women on preterm labor (PTL). METHODS: This study, which was conducted with 365 pregnant women, is a cross-sectional study. Data were collected using a questionnaire and the Genital Hygiene Behavior Inventory (GHBI) was applied. RESULTS: The ratios of PTL diagnosis and VD practice, and mean GHBI scores of the pregnant women were 35.1%, 9...

Intense efforts have been devoted to developing green and blue centralised Haber-Bosch processes (gHB and bHB, respectively), but the feasibility of a decentralised and sustainable scheme has yet to be assessed. Here we reveal the conditions under which small-scale systems based on the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrogen (eN2R) powered by photovoltaic energy (NH3-leaf) could become a competitive technology in terms of environmental criteria. To this end, we calculated energy efficiency targets based on solar irradiation atlases to guide research in the incipient eN2R field...

Glyphosate is the most widely applied herbicide worldwide, contaminating water, soils and living organisms. Earthworms are emblematic soil organisms used as indicators of soil quality, but knowledge about the impacts of glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) on these key soil organisms is scattered. Here, we examine this knowledge in detail to answer four questions: 1) Which endpoint is the most sensitive when assessing the effects of glyphosate or GBH in earthworms? 2) Which is most toxic to earthworms: glyphosate or GBH? 3) Are glyphosate and GBH harmful to earthworms when used at the recommended application dose (RAD)? 4) What are the interactions between glyphosate or GBH and other chemicals in earthworms? The results indicate that a weak legislation led to improper assessment of the ecotoxicity of glyphosate during the last renewal in 2017...

Sex-related drug consumption and its health-related consequences have gained relevance in the assessment of patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which pose a significant challenge to public health. We aim to assess the prevalence and characteristics of drug consumption and chemsex practices, describe the associated risk factors among general individuals attending an STI clinic, and evaluate the psychological impact associated with these behaviors. We conducted an online anonymous survey offered to patients with a diagnosis of STI in a tertiary hospital in Spain...

Intense efforts have been devoted to developing green and blue centralised Haber-Bosch processes (gHB and bHB, respectively), but the feasibility of a decentralised and more sustainable scheme has yet to be assessed. Here we reveal the conditions under which small-scale systems (NH3 -leaves) based on the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrogen (eN2 R) powered by photovoltaic energy could realise a decentralised scheme competitive in terms of environmental and economic criteria. For this purpose, we calculated energy efficiency targets worldwide, providing clear values that may guide research in the incipient eN2 R field...

Sedative as well as protective effects during hypoxia have been described for gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB). Six swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) of 6 weeks old were administered NaGHB at a dose of 500 mg/kg intravenously (IV) and 500 and 750 mg/kg orally (PO) in a triple cross-over design. Repeated blood sampling was performed to allow pharmacokinetic analysis of GHB. Whole blood concentration at time point 0 after IV administration was 1727.21 ± 280.73 μg/mL, with a volume of distribution of 339...

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) play a crucial role due to their significant biomedical functions. Chondroitin sulfate (CS) and dermatan sulfate (DS), the main representative family of GAGs, were extracted and purified from garfish ( Belone belone ) by-products, i.e., skin (GSB), bones (GCB), and heads (GHB), and their composition and anticoagulant activity were investigated. CS/DS were purified by ion-exchange chromatography with yields of 8.1% for heads, 3.7% for skin, and 1.4% for bones. Cellulose acetate electrophoresis was also explored for analyzing the extracted CS/DS...

BACKGROUND: The illicit use and abuse of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) occurs due to its sedative/hypnotic and euphoric effects. Currently, there are no clinically available therapies to treat GHB overdose, and care focuses on symptom treatment until the drug is eliminated from the body. Proton- and sodium-dependent monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs (SLC16A) and SMCTs (SLC5A)) transport and mediate the renal clearance and distribution of GHB. Previously, it has been shown that MCT expression is regulated by sex hormones in the liver, skeletal muscle and Sertoli cells...

Traditional hydrogen bonds are well-known to exhibit directionality and saturation. By contrast, gold involved hydrogen bonds (GHBs) have been extensively studied but remain lack of in-depth understanding towards the intrinsic nature and saturation property. This work exemplifies three series of complexes: [L-Au-L]-⋯(HF)n (L = H, CH3, (CH3)3; n = 1-8) containing GHBs to dig into the intrinsic nature with the aid of multiple theoretical analysis methods, finding that the formation of GHB is highly subject to orbital interactions along with steric hindrance...

BACKGROUND: GHB (gammahydroxybutyrate) and its precursors are popular recreational drugs due to their sedative, anxiolytic and sexually stimulating effects. Their use has been steadily increasing in recent years. The detoxification process is complex and prone to high rates of complications while little is known about the pathophysiology. This study aims to elucidate the characteristics of GHB-addicted patients and to evaluate the risks and complications of GHB withdrawal treatment. METHODS: This observational study describes prospectively the socioeconomic status, clinical history and course of inpatient detoxification treatment of a group of 39 patients suffering from GHB substance use disorder...

Background Unless a cutoff level of the parameters of newborn screening (NBS) is defined, a screening test's results would end in high recall rates and apprehensive parents. The study aimed to establish a cutoff level of the healthy term newborns. Materials and methods The study was a retrospective observational data analysis on a cohort of 1158 term newborns who underwent NBS in our institute. The percentile distribution of the NBS parameters was computed and the 99th percentile value was considered the new cutoff...

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BACKGROUND: Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) at low dosages has anxiolytic effects and promotes REM sleep and low-wave deep sleep. In the U.S., the legal form of GHB is prescribed to adults suffering from narcolepsy-associated cataplexy; the sodium salt of GHB is reserved for alcohol-addiction treatment. GHB is also a molecule of abuse and recreational use, it is a controlled substance in several countries, so gamma-valerolactone (GVL) has frequently been used as a legal substitute for it...

This study aimed to characterize patients admitted to critical care following Emergency Department (ED) presentation with acute recreational drug toxicity and to identify determinants of admission to critical care. A retrospective multicenter matched case-control study was conducted by the European Drug Emergency Network Plus (Euro-DEN Plus) over the period 2014-2021. The cases were ED presentations with acute recreational drug toxicity admitted to critical care, the controls consisted of ED presentations with acute recreational drug toxicity medically discharged directly from the ED...

With drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) being alleged in 15-20 % of sexual assault cases, drink spiking is a serious concern for several people, casting doubts over the expected safety at events in public spaces. On-site drug testing material is often touted as a solution, allowing attendees to test their drinks for the presence of certain so-called "date-rape drugs". In this manuscript, we aim to evaluate the efficiency of such a coaster device, manufactured by Drink Safe Technologies (Tallahassee, Florida, United States) and sold by Alco Prevention Canada (Laval, Québec, Canada), in detecting drink spiking by GHB and ketamine...

Γ-valerolactone (GVL), marketed online as "Tranquilli-G" and "excellent Valium", is used as a legal substitute for γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB); however, until now, GVL has only been connected to one Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA) case. Moreover, the pharmaco-toxicological effects of GVL are poorly studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the 1) in vivo effects of gavage administration of GVL (100-3000 mg/kg) on neurological (myoclonia, convulsions), sensorimotor (visual, acoustic, and overall tactile) responses, righting reflex, thermoregulation, motor activity (bar, drag, and accelerod test) and cardiorespiratory changes (heart rate, breath rate, oxygen saturation, and pulse distension) in CD-1 male mice and the 2) in silico ADMET profile of GVL in comparison to GHB and the open active form γ-hydroxyvaleric acid (GHV)...