title: [Investigations concerning the threshold value between endogenous and exogenous GHB (liquid ecstasy)].
abstract: The article describes critical investigations concerning the threshold value between endogenous and exogenous concentrations of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB/"liquid ecstasy") in human blood. The values of GHB in the blood samples of 50 blood donors and 50 postmortem cases were measured with a validated gas-chromatographic/mass-spectrometric procedure according to the guidelines of the GTFCh (Society of Toxicological and Forensic Chemistry). GHB-concentrations were found to range between 0.11 and 1.56 mg/L (mean value 0.54 mg/L/standard deviation 0.37 mg/L/coefficient of variation 68.4 %) in the donors' blood, and between 2.2 and 116 mg/L (mean value 32.4 mg/L/standard deviation 25.6 mg/L/coefficient of variation 79 %) in the postmortem samples, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Rechtsmedizin der Universität Giessen.
authors.forename: Freidoon
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Erdmann
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zandt
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Auch
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schütz
authors.forename: Günter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weiler
authors.forename: Marcel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Verhoff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005059:Euphoria / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D011180:Postmortem Changes
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D013287:Illicit Drugs; C111420:4-hydroxybutyric acid