Gaboxadol
Aliases: Thip, Ov101, Mk-0928, Lu-2-030, Lu-02-030
Categories
Summary
Gaboxadol (THIP) is a direct-acting GABA-A receptor agonist developed by Lundbeck and Merck as an experimental sleep aid. Clinical trials were discontinued in 2007 due to narrow therapeutic index and psychiatric side effects at effective doses. Unlike benzodiazepines, it acts as an orthosteric agonist at the GABA binding site with preferential activity at extrasynaptic ฮด subunit-containing receptors. At low doses produces sedation and sleep enhancement; at higher doses produces distinctive hallucinogenic and deliriant effects. Not approved for medical use.
Dose Information
| ROA | Light | Common | Strong | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 10-15mg | 15-30mg | 30-45mg | 45mg+ |
Light
Common
Strong
Heavy
Onset, Duration & After-effects
| ROA | Onset | Comeup | Peak | Offset | After Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 15-60 min | 30-60 min | 1-3 hrs | 2-4 hrs | 1-6 hrs |
Tolerance
Build-up
develops over 1โ4 weeks of daily use; hypnotic tolerance faster than anxiolytic tolerance
Reset
weeks to months depending on half-life and duration of use; taper recommended
Effects
Positive
- Muscle relaxation
- Anxiolysis
- Pain relief
Negative
- Nausea
- Ataxia
- Muscle twitching
- Sedation
- Sleepiness
- Muscle twitches
- Increased salivation
Positive
- Cognitive euphoria
- Dream potentiation
- Empathy enhancement
Negative
- Memory suppression
- Dizziness
- Motor control loss
- Delirium
- Confusion
- Perspective distortions
- Consciousness disconnection
Positive
- Colour shifting
- Increased music appreciation
Negative
- Auditory hallucinations
- External hallucinations
- Internal hallucinations
- Visual distortions
- Drifting
- External hallucination
- Internal hallucination
- Spontaneous physical sensations