4-Amino-1-butanol

4-Amino-1-butanol, or 4-aminobutanol, also known as 4-hydroxybutylamine, is an alkanolamine and an analogue and precursor of the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid.
The structural relation of 1,4-butanediol to γ-hydroxybutyric acid is analogous to the relation of 4-amino-1-butanol to GABA. 1,4-BD is a known prodrug of GHB which is converted into it through the actions of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase. γ-Hydroxybutyraldehyde is an intermediate in this pathway, whereas the analogous intermediate structure for 4-amino-1-butanol and GABA is γ-aminobutyraldehyde. Similar to the conversion of 1,4-BD into GHB, 4-amino-1-butanol is converted into GABAL by aldehyde reductase and GABAL is converted into GABA by ALDH.