History
Phenibut: History & Discovery
Phenibut was first synthesized in the Soviet Union in the 1960s. It is commonly attributed to research led by Vsevolod Perekalin and colleagues at the A. I. Herzen Leningrad State Pedagogical Institute, where the compound was prepared and characterized as a phenylated analogue of the neurotransmitter GABA.
Documented historical notes
Historical accounts widely note that Phenibut was studied in the Soviet Union and is frequently cited in connection with the Soviet space program’s medical provisions. These are historical references drawn from the scientific and historical record; this page presents them as history, not as any statement about use. Most of that primary record was published in Russian; our bibliography of Russian-language Phenibut studies indexes it.
Names in the literature
In various national contexts the compound has appeared under names such as Fenibut, Noofen, and Anvifen. These are referenced here only as historical/nomenclatural facts. For chemical identifiers, see the complete chemical reference; for current regulatory standing, see legal & regulatory status.
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