Notes on Lsd
Description (Introduction)
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synesthesia, an altered sense of time and spiritual experiences, as well as for its key role in 1960s counterculture. It is used mainly as an entheogen, recreational drug, and as an agent in psychedelic therapy. LSD is non-addictive, is not known to cause brain damage, and has extremely low toxicity relative to dose, although in rare cases adverse psychiatric reactions such as anxiety or delusions are possible.[3]
History
LSD was first synthesized on November 16, 1938[85] by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann at the Sandoz Laboratories in Basel, Switzerland as part of a large research program searching for medically useful ergot alkaloid derivatives. LSD 's psychedelic properties were discovered 5 years later when Hofmann himself accidentally ingested an unknown quantity of the chemical.[86]The first intentional ingestion of LSD occurred on April 19, 1943,[87] when Hofmann ingested 250 µg of LSD. He said, this would be a threshold dose based on the dosages of other ergot alkaloids. Hofmann found the effects to be much stronger than he anticipated.[88] Sandoz Laboratories introduced LSD as a psychiatric drug in 1947.[89]
Albert Hofmann in 2006
Pharmacokinetics
LSD 's effects normally last from 6–12 hours depending on dosage, tolerance, body weight and age.[5] The Sandoz prospectus for "Delysid" warned: "intermittent disturbances of affect may occasionally persist for several days."[4] Contrary to early reports and common belief, LSD effects do not last longer than the amount of time significant levels of the drug are present in the blood. Aghajanian and Bing (1964) found LSD had an elimination half-life of only 175 minutes.[1] However, using more accurate
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synesthesia, an altered sense of time and spiritual experiences, as well as for its key role in 1960s counterculture. It is used mainly as an entheogen, recreational drug, and as an agent in psychedelic therapy. LSD is non-addictive, is not known to cause brain damage, and has extremely low toxicity relative to dose, although in rare cases adverse psychiatric reactions such as anxiety or delusions are possible.[3]
History
LSD was first synthesized on November 16, 1938[85] by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann at the Sandoz Laboratories in Basel, Switzerland as part of a large research program searching for medically useful ergot alkaloid derivatives. LSD 's psychedelic properties were discovered 5 years later when Hofmann himself accidentally ingested an unknown quantity of the chemical.[86]The first intentional ingestion of LSD occurred on April 19, 1943,[87] when Hofmann ingested 250 µg of LSD. He said, this would be a threshold dose based on the dosages of other ergot alkaloids. Hofmann found the effects to be much stronger than he anticipated.[88] Sandoz Laboratories introduced LSD as a psychiatric drug in 1947.[89]
Albert Hofmann in 2006
Pharmacokinetics
LSD 's effects normally last from 6–12 hours depending on dosage, tolerance, body weight and age.[5] The Sandoz prospectus for "Delysid" warned: "intermittent disturbances of affect may occasionally persist for several days."[4] Contrary to early reports and common belief, LSD effects do not last longer than the amount of time significant levels of the drug are present in the blood. Aghajanian and Bing (1964) found LSD had an elimination half-life of only 175 minutes.[1] However, using more accurate
References: 1. ^ a b c Aghajanian, George K.; Bing, Oscar H. L. (1964). "Persistence of lysergic acid diethylamide in the plasma of human subjects" (PDF).Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 5: 611–614. PMID 14209776. Retrieved 2009-09-17. 3. ^ Passie T, Halpern JH, Stichtenoth DO, Emrich HM, Hintzen A (2008)."The Pharmacology of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide: a Review". CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics 14 (4): 295–314. doi:10.1111/j.1755-5949.2008.00059.x. PMID 19040555. 4. ^ a b c d Hofmann, Albert. LSD—My Problem Child (McGraw-Hill, 1980). ISBN 0-07-029325-2. 5. ^ a b c d e f Alexander and Ann Shulgin. "LSD", in TiHKAL (Berkeley: Transform Press, 1997). ISBN 0-9630096-9-9. 6. ^ Shulgin, Alexander; Shulgin, Ann (1991). "Burt". PiHKAL (1st ed.). Transform Press. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-9630096-0-9. 7. ^ a b Greiner T, Burch NR, Edelberg R (1958). "Psychopathology and psychophysiology of minimal LSD-25 dosage; a preliminary dosage-response spectrum". AMA Arch Neurol Psychiatry 79 (2): 208–10.PMID 13497365. 8. ^ Arthur Stoll and Albert Hofmann LSD Patent April 30, 1943 in Switzerland and Mar. 23, 1948 in the United States. 13. ^ Wolbach AB Jr, Isbell H, Miner EJ (1962). "Cross tolerance between mescaline and LSD-25, with a comparison of the mescaline and LSD reactions". Psychopharmacologia 3: 1–14.doi:10.1007/BF00413101. PMID 14007904. 14. ^ Isbell H, Wolbach AB, Wikler A, Miner EJ (1961). "Cross Tolerance between LSD and Psilocybin". Psychopharmacologia 2 (3): 147–59.doi:10.1007/BF00407974. PMID 13717955. 16. ^ Buckholtz, NS; Zhou, DF; Freedman, DX; Potter, WZ (1990). "Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) administration selectively downregulates serotonin2 receptors in rat brain". Neuropsychopharmacology 3 (2): 137–148. PMID 1969270. 18. ^ a b Linton Harriet B., Langs Robert J. (1962). "Subjective Reactions to Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD-25)" (PDF). Arch. Gen. Psychiat 6(5): 352–68. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1962.01710230020003. 20. ^ Katz MM, Waskow IE, Olsson J (1968). "Characterizing the psychological state produced by LSD". J Abnorm Psychol 73 (1): 1–14.doi:10.1037/h0020114. PMID 5639999.