In case of overdose, phenibut can cause severe drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, eosinophilia, lowering blood pressure, renal dysfunction and more than 7 grams of fatty liver degeneration. [4] [6] There are no specific antidotes for phenibut overdose. [6] Lethargy, somnolence, agitation, delirium, tonic-clonic seizures, decreased consciousness or loss of consciousness, and insensitivity have been reported in recreational users who overdose. [3] Treatment for phenibut overdose includes activated charcoal, gastric lavage, induction of vomiting, and symptom-based therapy. [4] [6] There have been several fatal overdoses. [10] Withdrawal can also be a sign of phenibut addiction or a substance use disorder that may require additional substance abuse treatment. 18. In September 2020, France added phenibut to its list of controlled psychoactive substances and banned its manufacture, sale, storage and use. [29] Surprisingly, magic mushroom spores are legal because they do not contain psilocybin. However, growing them to maturity is illegal – because that`s when they start producing the substance.

Phenibut is a supplement that acts as a synthetic form of GABA, creating feelings of calm and relaxation. The use of phenibut can lead to abuse, which in turn can lead to addiction and withdrawal symptoms if the drug is stopped. On 14 November 2018, Hungary added phenibut and 10 other items to its ban list for new psychoactive substances. [28] Little information has been published on the clinical pharmacokinetics of phenibut. [5] The drug would be well absorbed. [4] It spreads widely throughout the body and across the blood-brain barrier. [4] About 0.1% of an administered dose of phenibut enters the brain, which occurs to a much greater extent in both young and old people. [4] After a single dose of 250 mg in healthy volunteers, the elimination half-life was approximately 5.3 hours and the drug was largely excreted (63%) unchanged in the urine. [5] Kratom and phenibut are called nootropics because of their ability to improve mental function, with chemical properties similar to prescribed medications. Phenibut is still an uncontrolled substance in the United States, and it is legal to sell and possess phenibut (11).

It has not been approved for clinical use in the United States. Since phenibut is a synthetic form of the neurotransmitter GABA, it mainly tends to have a relaxing effect on those who take it. It can suppress anxiety, and many people use the drug in social situations to prevent social anxiety. Phenibut (î²-phenyl-î³-aminobutyric acid) is a synthetic nootropic that is a GABA analogue. It was first introduced and used in Russia in the 1960s for the treatment of depression, post-traumatic stress, stuttering and vestibular disorders, as well as for a pre- and postoperative medication (10). Over the past decade, there has been a 64% increase in the total number of publications on PubMed related to the search term “phenibut”. People who use phenibut can quickly build a tolerance to the drug, so they need to take more of the substance to get the same effect. Taking higher doses of phenibut may make it harder to stop taking the medication. According to the 2019 World Drug Report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, recreational substance use has increased by 30% over the past decade, with unprecedented increases in the rate of new psychoactive substances on the market (1). Nootropics, a subset of psychoactive substances that have similar chemical properties to prescribed medications, are believed to improve mood and improve cognitive function. They are marketed as dietary supplements and can be perceived as a safe and natural alternative to prescribed psychotropic drugs.

Nevertheless, they remain largely unregulated. They can be used recreationally, which has raised concerns about their concern as emerging drugs of abuse. In addition, the existing literature is limited in terms of safety and efficacy. Two nootropics on the market are kratom, a natural nootropic, and phenibut, a synthetic analogue of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This article presents a brief review for psychiatric trainees of the existing literature on kratom and phenibut, with a focus on toxicity and withdrawal management. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that phenibut does not meet the legal definition of a “dietary ingredient.” Using phenibut for self-medication or other purposes can be a sign of addiction or addiction. If you or a loved one abuses Phenibut, help may be available. Phenibut also binds and blocks VDCC containing α2δ subunits, similar to gabapentin and pregabalin, and is therefore a gabapentinoid. [16] [17] (R)-phenibut and (S)-phenibut show this effect with similar affinity (Ki = 23 and 39 μM, respectively). [16] People taking Phenibut may experience withdrawal symptoms even after just taking the medication.

Those who take phenibut for a longer period of time will most likely have more severe withdrawal symptoms. Side effects of phenibut include sedation, drowsiness, nausea, irritability, restlessness, dizziness and headache. [4] [6] An overdose of phenibut can lead to pronounced central nervous system depression, including loss of consciousness. [4] [6] The drug is structurally related to the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and is therefore a GABA analogue. [5] Phenibut is believed to act as a GABAB receptor agonist, similar to baclofen and γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB). [5] However, at low concentrations, phenibut slightly increases the concentration of dopamine in the brain and provides stimulant effects in addition to anxiolysis. [7] As of 2020, kratom is listed in Schedule I Controlled Substances due to its stimulant and hallucinogenic properties and banned in six states: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin (4). Otherwise, it is legal to sell and possess. It is sold as a supplement and is available in online retail stores and supplement stores. Phenibut is available as a drug in the form of 250 mg or 500 mg tablets for oral administration and as a solution in a concentration of 10 mg/ml for infusion.

[4] [6] [9] In the United States, supplements labeled as phenibut have been found to contain zero to more than 1,100 mg of phenibut per serving. [8] 18. HÖGBERG L, SzabÓ I, Ruusa J: Psychotic symptoms during phenibut withdrawal (beta-phenyl-gamma-aminobutyric acid).