Sodium oxybate
Sodium oxybate (Xyrem) is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant used to treat cataplexy or excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy. It is a sodium salt of [gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid], an endogenous cerebral inhibitory neurotransmitter and a metabolite of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. Due to its physiological effects, sodium oxybate is associated with a risk for substance misuse and abuse. Sodium oxybate has been misused to stimulate body growth and to induce euphoria, disinhibition, and sexual arousal as a "party drug" or "club drug." For safety reasons, sodium oxybate is a controlled substance only available through a restricted program in approved countries.  An extended-release oral suspension formulation of sodium oxybate for narcolepsy, marketed under the brand name LUMRYZ, gained tentative FDA approval in July 2022. Its final approval is subject to a June 2023 patent expiry. In some countries, sodium oxybate has been investigated and used in alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) to aid abstinence maintenance in alcohol use disorders.