title: Pharmacokinetics of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid in alcohol dependent patients after single and repeated oral doses.
abstract: 1. The pharmacokinetics of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) were studied in 10 alcohol dependent subjects after single and repeated therapeutic oral doses (25 mg kg-1 every 12 h for 7 days). 2. GHB was readily absorbed and rapidly eliminated (tmax = 20-45 min; mean t1/2z 27 +/- 5 s.d. min). Urinary recovery of unchanged GHB was negligible (less than 1% of the dose). gamma-butyrolactone was not detected in either plasma or urine, indicating that lactonization of GHB does not occur in vivo. 3. The multiple-dose regimen resulted neither in accumulation of GHB nor in time-dependent modification of its pharmacokinetics. 4. In five subjects, the data were consistent with nonlinear elimination kinetics of GHB. Administration of a 50 mg kg-1 dose to these subjects resulted in significant increases in dose-normalized AUC, t1/2z and mean residence time. 5. Doubling of the dose also resulted in a significant increase in tmax with little change in Cmax. 6. At the administered doses, GHB did not accumulate in the plasma and caused no serious side effects.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Behavioural and Forensic Toxicology, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zotti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tedeschi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frison
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Castagna
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gallimberti
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gessa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palatini
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D012978:Sodium Oxybate