hydroxybutyric acid

noun

hy·​droxy·​bu·​tyr·​ic acid hī-ˌdräk-sē-byu̇-ˈtir-ik- 

: a hydroxy derivative C₄H₈O₃ of butyric acid that is excreted in increased quantities in the urine in diabetes

Examples of hydroxybutyric acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The new indictment alleges that from 2011 to 2019 — a far longer period than was previously alleged by federal prosecutors — Buck used his apartment on Laurel Avenue in West Hollywood to distribute methamphetamine, clonazepam and the party drug GHB, gamma hydroxybutyric acid. —Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2020

Other drugs used are Ketamine and GHB, or Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, according to the community alert. —Matt Yan, BostonGlobe.com, 30 May 2022

Giles, 24, died the same day she was dropped at the hospital of multiple drug intoxication, with cocaine, fentanyl, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid — GHB, a date rape drug — and ketamine in her system, the medical examiner-coroner ruled. —Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2022

Giles died of multiple drug intoxication, including cocaine, fentanyl, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, and ketamine. —Adam Sabes, Fox News, 3 Apr. 2022

Buck is accused of distributing narcotics gamma hydroxybutyric acid and clonazepam, sedatives that the DEA has described as date-rape drugs. —NBC News, 19 Sep. 2019

The protective effect may have been caused by the ketone 3-beta-hydroxybutyric acid (3-OHB), the study said. —Bradley J. Fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, 5 Sep. 2017

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Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

hydroxybutyric acid

noun

hy·​droxy·​bu·​tyr·​ic acid -byu̇-ˌtir-ik- 

variants or β-hydroxybutyric acid

ˈbāt-ə-, chiefly British ˈbēt-ə-

: a derivative C₄H₈O₃ of butyric acid that is excreted in urine in increased quantities in diabetes

called also oxybutyric acid