• N&PD Moderators: Skorpio | thegreenhand

GHB Causes Neurotoxicity?

chicken hoagie

Bluelighter
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Jan 1, 2014
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What is your take on neurotoxicity associated with GHB? Or moreso, the prodrug 1,4-Butanediol. Obviously the intermediate metabolites of 1,4-B are toxic just as ethanol produces aldehyde metabolites. But from what I have read, GHB alone causes neurotoxic effects in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, with a reverse dose-response..That is to say, lesser doses create more neurotoxicity and higher doses creating less neurotoxicity. It is purported to be mediated through the GHB receptor's agonism.

Does anyone have experience with these substances and can possibly support or mitigate these claims?
 
Obviously the intermediate metabolites of 1,4-B are toxic

they don't persist long enough in the body to be detectable, 14-B conversion to GHB is *very* rapid, it's nearly complete within ~15 min if I remember right

GHB alone causes neurotoxic effects in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex,

given that people can use GHB for years at a time without permanent damage & it is FDA approved as a treatment for narcolepsy I somehow doubt it's really that toxic
 
GHB is worse for your liver's health than heavy alcohol consumption.
 
Yeah it was my understanding that GHB is relatively non-toxic unless overdosed. Alcohol on the other hand is quite toxic to your organs, especially your liver.
 
Yeah it was my understanding that GHB is relatively non-toxic unless overdosed. Alcohol on the other hand is quite toxic to your organs, especially your liver.
I gave up drinking after years of abuse recently & had a sonagram of my abdomen. No problem with my liver but they found a dilated pancreatic duct, which can lead to pancreatic cancer. That got followed by a CT scan with contrast media (barium sulfate emulsion, an iodine compound IV). No cirrhosis or other liver problem but part of my pancreas had turned to fat. Without a pancreas produce insulin you become a Type I diabetic, having to regularly prick yourself & shoot up expensive insulin. Glad I stopped drinking!

It's not the alcohol that is so toxic but its primary metabolic product, acetaldehyde, that is very toxic.
 
Yeah, well actually my guess would be that ethanol itself is also toxic but acetaldehyde is definitely the worst part.

I gotta quit drinking, I do it about twice a week, but I tend to drink heavily when I do (6-10 6% drinks though used to be more when I was drinking more often, I get drunk and sometimes partially black out and have a hangover). How much/often were you drinking and for how long?
 
I thought it was supposed to be a steroid as well as a hypnotic. No idea the mechanism how it's used for narcolepsy.
 
GHB can cause damage to GABA-receptors if quit could turkey after long term use, like any other gaba-drug when quit that way, but otherwise GHB is not neurotoxic in anyway. But alcohol reduce dopamine receptors in the brains in long term use.
 
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