Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, visual, as well as auditory, hallucinations. Dilated pupils, increased blood pressure, and increased body temperature are typical. Effects typically begin within half an hour and can last for up to 20 hours. LSD is also capable of causing mystical experiences and ego dissolution. It is used mainly as a recreational drug or for spiritual reasons. LSD is both the prototypical psychedelic and one of the "classical" psychedelics, being the psychedelics with the greatest scientific and cultural significance. LSD is typically either swallowed or held under the tongue. It is most often sold on blotter paper and less commonly as tablets, in a watery solution or in gelatin squares called panes.
Ergine, also known as d-lysergic acid amide (LSA) and d-lysergamide, is an ergoline alkaloid that occurs in various species of vines of the Convolvulaceae and some species of fungi. The psychedelic properties in the seeds of ololiuhqui, Hawaiian baby woodrose and morning glories have been linked to ergine and/or isoergine, its epimer, as it is an alkaloid present in the seeds.
Ergoline is a chemical compound whose structural skeleton is contained in a variety of alkaloids, referred to as ergoline derivatives or ergoline alkaloids. Ergoline alkaloids, one being ergine, were initially characterized in ergot. Some of these are implicated in the condition ergotism, which can take a convulsive form or a gangrenous form. Even so, many ergoline alkaloids have been found to be clinically useful. Annual world production of ergot alkaloids has been estimated at 5,000–8,000 kg of all ergopeptines and 10,000–15,000 kg of lysergic acid, used primarily in the manufacture of semi-synthetic derivatives.
Lysergic acid, also known as D-lysergic acid and (+)-lysergic acid, is a precursor for a wide range of ergoline alkaloids that are produced by the ergot fungus and found in the seeds of Turbina corymbosa (ololiuhqui), Argyreia nervosa, and Ipomoea tricolor.
Amides of lysergic acid are collectively known as lysergamides, and include a number of compounds with potent agonist and/or antagonist activity at various serotonin and dopamine receptors.
ALD-52, also known as 1-acetyl-LSD, is a chemical analogue of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). It was originally discovered by Albert Hofmann in 1957 but was not widely studied until the rise in popularity of psychedelics in the 1960s.
AL-LAD, also known as 6-allyl-6-nor-LSD, is a psychedelic drug and an analog of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). It is described by Alexander Shulgin in the book TiHKAL. It is synthesized starting from nor-LSD as a precursor, using allyl bromide as a reactant.
ETH-LAD, 6-ethyl-6-nor-lysergic acid diethylamide is an analogue of LSD. Its human psychopharmacology was first described by Alexander Shulgin in the book TiHKAL. ETH-LAD is a psychedelic drug similar to LSD, and is slightly more potent than LSD itself, with an active dose reported at between 20 and 150 micrograms. ETH-LAD has subtly different effects to LSD, described as less demanding.
PRO-LAD is an analogue of LSD. It is described by Alexander Shulgin in the book TiHKAL. PRO-LAD is a psychedelic drug similar to LSD, and is around as potent as LSD itself with an active dose reported at between 100 and 200 micrograms.
BU-LAD, also known as 6-butyl-6-nor-lysergic acid diethylamide, is an analogue of LSD first made by Alexander Shulgin and reported in the book TiHKAL. BU-LAD is a psychedelic drug similar to LSD, but is significantly less potent than LSD, with a dose of 500 micrograms producing only mild effects.
N-Morpholinyllysergamide (LSM-775) is a derivative of ergine. It is less potent than LSD but is reported to have some LSD-like effects at doses ranging from 75 to 700 micrograms and a shorter duration. There are fewer signs of cardiovascular stimulation and peripheral toxicity with LSM-775 compared to LSD.
Lysergic acid 2,4-dimethylazetidide is an analog of LSD developed by the team led by David E. Nichols at Purdue University. It was developed as a rigid analog of LSD with the diethylamide group constrained into an azetidine ring in order to map the binding site at the 5-HT2A receptor. There are three possible stereoisomers around the azetidine ring, with the (S,S)-(+) isomer being the most active, slightly more potent than LSD itself in drug discrimination tests using trained rats.
Methylisopropyllysergamide is an analogue of LSD that was originally discovered by Albert Hofmann at Sandoz during the original structure-activity research into LSD. It has subsequently been investigated in more detail by the team led by David E. Nichols at Purdue University. Methylisopropyllysergamide is a structural isomer of LSD, with the alkyl groups on the amide nitrogen having been subjected to a methylene shuffle. MIPLA and its ethylisopropyl homologue are the only simple N,N-dialkyl lysergamides that approach the potency of LSD itself, being around 1/3-1/2 the potency of LSD, while all other dialkyl analogues tested are only around 1/10 as potent as LSD, although some N-monoalkyl lysergamides such as the sec-butyl and t-butyl derivatives were also found to show an activity profile and potency comparable to LSD, and the mono-isopropyl derivative is only slightly weaker than MIPLA. Apart from its lower potency, the hallucinogenic effects of methylisopropyllysergamide are similar to those of LSD itself, and the main use for this drug has been in studies of the binding site at the 5-HT2A receptor through which LSD exerts most of its pharmacological effects.
Lysergic acid 2-butyl amide (2-Butyllysergamide, LSB) is an analogue of LSD originally developed by Richard Pioch at Eli Lilly in the 1950s, but mostly publicised through research conducted by the team led by David E. Nichols at Purdue University. It is a structural isomer of LSD, with the two ethyl groups on the amide nitrogen having been replaced by a single sec-butyl group, joined at the 2-position. It is one of the few lysergamide derivatives to exceed the potency of LSD in animal drug discrimination assays, with the (R) isomer having an ED50 of 33nmol/kg for producing drug-appropriate responding, vs 48nmol/kg for LSD itself. The corresponding (R)-2-pentyl analogue has higher binding affinity for the 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors, but is less potent in producing drug-appropriate responding, suggesting that the butyl compound has a higher efficacy at the receptor target. The drug discrimination assay for LSD in rats involves both 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A mediated components, and while lysergic acid 2-butyl amide is more potent than LSD as a 5-HT1A agonist, it is slightly less potent as a 5-HT2A agonist, and so would probably be slightly less potent than LSD as a hallucinogen in humans. The main use for this drug has been in studies of the binding site at the 5-HT2A receptor through which LSD exerts most of its pharmacological effects, with the stereoselective activity of these unsymmetric monoalkyl lysergamides foreshadowing the subsequent development of compounds such as lysergic acid 2,4-dimethylazetidide (LSZ).
Lysergic acid 3-pentyl amide is an analogue of LSD originally researched by David E. Nichols and colleagues at Purdue University. It has similar binding affinity to LSD itself as both a 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A agonist, and produces similar behavioral and physiological responses in animals with only slightly lower potency than LSD. Other isomers of this compound have also been explored, with the 1-pentylamide being around 75% the potency of LSD, while the (R)-2-pentylamide shows similar 5-HT2A binding affinity to LSD in vitro but has only around half the potency of LSD in producing drug-appropriate responding in mice, and the (S)-2-pentylamide is inactive.
ECPLA (N-ethyl-N-cyclopropyllysergamide) is an analog of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) developed by Synex Synthetics. In studies in mice, it was found to have approximately 40% the potency of LSD.
1cP-LSD is an acylated derivative of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), which has been sold as a designer drug. In tests on mice it was found to be an active psychedelic with similar potency to 1P-LSD.
1B-LSD is an acylated derivative of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), which has been sold as a designer drug. In tests on mice it was found to be an active psychedelic, though with only around 1/7 the potency of LSD itself.
1V-LSD or 1-valeryl-D-lysergic acid diethylamide is a psychotropic substance and a research chemical with psychedelic effects. 1V-LSD is an artificial derivative of natural lysergic acid, which occurs in ergot alkaloids, as well as being an analogue of LSD. 1V-LSD has been sold online until an amendment to the German NpSG was enforced in 2022 which controls 1P-LSD and now 1cP-LSD, 1V-LSD and several other lysergamides.
LAMPA is a structural analogue of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) that has been studied as a potential treatment for alcoholism. In animal studies, LAMPA was found to be nearly equipotent to ECPLA and MIPLA for inducing a head-twitch response. LAMPA appears to be significantly less potent than LSD in humans, producing little to no noticeable effects at doses of 100 µg.
