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Phenibut, a GABAB Agonist, Detected in a Fatality
Crystal Arndt1, Teresa R Gray1
1Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, 1861 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
Phenibut, a recreational drug, is increasingly causing poisonings. This case report details autopsy and toxicology findings in a fatal overdose, confirming phenibut presence in blood and urine.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Toxicology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Phenibut (phenibut) is a GABAB agonist, structurally related to baclofen.
- It is not approved for medical use in the US but is available online for recreational purposes.
- Increased calls to poison control centers and case reports highlight severe intoxications and withdrawal syndromes associated with phenibut use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the autopsy and toxicology findings in a fatal case involving phenibut.
Main Methods:
- Autopsy and routine toxicology screening were performed.
- A qualitative liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was validated.
- The validated method was used to detect phenibut in postmortem blood and urine samples.
Main Results:
- Autopsy and routine toxicology results were unremarkable.
- The validated LC-MS/MS method confirmed the presence of phenibut in the deceased individual's blood and urine.
Conclusions:
- Phenibut was confirmed as present in a fatal overdose case.
- The validated LC-MS/MS method is suitable for detecting phenibut in postmortem forensic toxicology investigations.
- This case underscores the potential dangers of unregulated recreational substance use.
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