Detection of Phenibut in a Commercially Available Product in Richmond, VA: A Case Study

 

Abstract

Phenibut is an anxiolytic and nootropic material with GABA-mimetic properties. Phenibut is

easily applicable over the internet and is not a controlled material under the Controlled

Substances Act in the United States. Adverse effects of phenibut include tremors, loss of

appetite, agitation, and insomnia. In this study, samples were obtained from a tobacco shop in

Richmond, Virginia. The product was labeled "moon water" and contained a yellow liquid. 

The content of the Moon Water case label promotes energy and core properties. Labeled ingredients

include filtered water, fructose, citric acid, <2% ascorbic acid, maltodextrin, sodium acid

pyrophosphate, sodium citrate, magnesium oxide, calcium fumarate, artificial colors, and tocopherol.

Moonwater samples were screened using direct analysis in Real-Time-Mass Spectrometry

(DART-MS) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to detect active

compounds that labeled are not specified. Phenibut and other substances such as caffeine were

detected off-label with DART-MS analysis. Their presence was confirmed using GC-MS.

Phenibut exhibits antagonism at GABA receptors, particularly the GABAB receptor. High doses

of phenibut can cause belligerence, delirium and aggression. Phenibut use can result in

dependence and subsequent withdrawal, with effects ranging from anger, irritability, insomnia,

loss of appetite, and palpitations. This work highlights the need for proper regulation of

commercially available products, especially smokes and products sold at tobacco shops. The

presence of psychoactive substances that are not labeled in the product is a public health

concern and an extreme risk to consumers.

What is Phenibut?

Developed in Russia in the 1960s, phenibut (β-phenyl-aminobutyric acid) is a psychoactive

substance still widely used there to treat stress, anxiety, alcoholism, stuttering, and insomnia. ,

and potentiates neuroleptics and antiparkinsonian drugs. A controlled material in Australia and

banned in Hungary, Lithuania, and Italy. Other but it is not approved as a licensed drug by the

Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and therefore, is not used in clinical settings.

Phenibut is usually taken orally, usually either as a powder mixed with water, as pills, or as a

liquid solution. Fewer people reported taking snort in powder form, but these cases caused

painful swelling in the nostrils.

Introduction

β-phenyl-γ-aminobutyric acid (phenibut) is a GABA-mimetic compound first synthesized in

Russia in the 1960s. Phenibut was originally placed in the medical kits of Russian astronauts to

help them stay calm under stress. Today, phenibut is sold under the names Invifen, Phenibut,

and Nufen, although it has no recommended use in the United States. In Russia, phenytoin is

still applied in clinical practices as an anxiolytic, antidepressant, nootropic, and mood enhancing

agent. In the United States, phenytoin is not scheduled to be available over the counter in

dietary supplements. It appeared in the American market as a mood booster, although it did not

meet the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) definition of a dietary supplement and could

not be labeled as such, Apr. According to a statement released by the FDA. 2019. A 2015 study

found that a total of 25 US internet suppliers sell phenytoin powder in the US at an average

price of $0.41/gram. In 2021, the presence of phenibut in dietary supplements increased by

75% even after the FDA statement. Additionally, phenibut doses were up to 450%. Before FDA

warnings, doses varied from 484 to 487 milligrams per serving. Currently, doses varying from 21

mg to 1,164 mg per serving are not uncommon. Most of these doses already exceed the 250

mg dose used clinically in Russia. Since its emergence on the market, phenytoin has been

labeled a novel psychoactive substance (NPS) and placed on an Early Warning Advisory by the

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Phenibut effects and side effects

Information on the effects of phenibut is somewhat limited to anecdotal evidence, collected from

user experience reported online, by clinicians who have encountered patients with phenibut

toxicity (i.e., needing overdose) or report withdrawal. Additionally, there are several published

case reports. Individuals who use phenibut use it to relieve symptoms of social anxiety or

recreationally, claiming that they use it to get "high" or to produce feelings of euphoria. do

Doses, which give it a stimulant-like effect in addition to relieving anxiety.

A wide range of side effects have also been reported, and commonly include symptoms

associated with restlessness, drowsiness, and restlessness. These include:

● Confusion.

● High blood pressure.

● Increased heart rate.

● Muscle spasms.

● Dilated pupils.

● Irritability.

● Delirium.

● Seizures.

● Slowed breathing.

More serious side effects, such as coma, respiratory depression, and death (in very rare cases)

are often associated with the use of phenibut in combination with other central nervous system

(CNS) depressants, such as alcohol.

Phenibut Tolerance

Although robust clinical trials examining phenibut's addictive potential do not exist, there are

case studies and anecdotal evidence that suggest that regular use leads to tolerance, which

means that the desired More substances are needed to achieve the effect. In some individuals,

tolerance to Fenibut has developed within a week of regular use.

Phenibut Dependence and Withdrawal

Several case studies point to evidence that regular use of phenibut can lead to dependence.

Their diet, withdrawal symptoms emerge. In some cases, individuals continue to take the

substance to prevent withdrawal symptoms from re-emerging.

Evidence suggests that individuals who use phenytoin with other substances, particularly

opioids or CNS depressants such as alcohol or sedatives, may experience more severe

withdrawal symptoms. .

Dangers of Phenibut Use

There are symptoms that phenibut can be toxic and potentially dangerous. In the decade

between 2009 and 2019, there were 1,320 phenibut disclosure calls to bacteria control centers

throughout the United States. Of these, 40.2% were adults aged 18 or older, who combined

phenibut with another substance.

Half of these cases reported moderate things with no lasting impairment. However, coma was

reported in 80 cases (6.2%), and major life-threatening effects occurred in 1 in 8 cases,

including 3 deaths.

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