@article{ref1,
title="Intoxications due to ingestion of gamma-butyrolactone: organ distribution of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid and gamma-butyrolactone",
journal="Therapeutic drug monitoring",
year="2008",
author="Lenz, Daniel and Rothschild, Markus A. and Kröner, Lars",
volume="30",
number="6",
pages="755-761",
abstract="In Europe, the misuse of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and its analogues has increased within the recent years. Here, 2 fatalities and 1 nonfatal intoxication resulting from ingestion of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), a precursor of GHB, are presented. GHB was quantified involving the conversion to GBL by application of a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. Besides quantitation of GHB equivalents (&quot;total GBL&quot;), all specimens of case 1 were analyzed for the metabolic precursor GBL itself (absolute GBL). The cause of death in each case was attributed to GHB intoxication; the manner of death was suicide in the first case and accidental in the second one. Another yet nonfatal GHB intoxication was reported by an emergency department concerning a 36-year-old woman who was hospitalized due to her comatose state and loss of adverse effects reflexes. Here nail polish remover pads were used as source for GBL.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0163-4356",
doi="10.1097/FTD.0b013e3181898c2e",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/FTD.0b013e3181898c2e"
}