CLINICAL EFFICACY OF GAMMA-HYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID IN TREATMENT OF OPIATEWITHDRAWAL

This paper describes the role of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) in th e treatment of opiate withdrawal syndrome. In the two patients describ ed, after having abruptly withdrawn from long-term methadone treatment , GHB was orally administered (each dose given every 4-6 h) for 8-9 da ys. The GHB showed both a high efficacy (some mild and transient sympt oms attributable to opiate withdrawal were observed, but only in the f irst days of therapy) and a good tolerability (no clinical phenomena i nterpreted as GHB side effects were found). These results could be of interest in improving the pharmacological treatment of drug addiction.