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ABSTRACT:
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), is a classical hallucinogen, discovered accidentally in the middle century. It is a psychedelic drug used to treat drug abuse as it shows limited efficacy, leaving severe and persistent effects in treated patients. Preliminary studies in animals and clinical trials suggest that lysergic acid diethylamide may have anti-depressive, anxiolytic, hallucinogenic and anti-addictive properties. LSD is used as a popular and notorious substance of abuse in various parts of the world. It has an important use as an adjunct to psychotherapy. But, some severe effects were unclear and seemed to be a psychedelic enigma. In this review article, we have focused on the history, receptor pharmacology, chemistry, mechanism of action, pharmacology, applications and adverse effects of LSD on the normal human body system. We have also described its acid trip effect, addictive potentials and the chances of developing its tolerance. LSD is used in many treatments like antianxiety agent, a creativity enhancer, a performance enhancer. It is also used in drug and alcohol dependence, as a part of psychedelic therapy and recently in the therapy of Alzheimer's disease.
KEYWORDS: Hallucinogen, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, Drug Abuse, Addiction, Psychedelic, Acid Trip.
INTRODUCTION:
LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) is a semi-synthetic compound first developed in 1938 by Dr. Albert Hofmann at the Sandoz pharmaceutical company in Basel, Switzerland. After Dr. Hofmann first discovered its effects in 1943, LSD quickly became recognized for its possible therapeutic effects. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a potent bio-active substance. It is analogous to serotonin in structure. It generally affects sensory, autonomic and psychological functions. Sensory responses are generally visual, involving distorted color perception and sensory impressions. Autonomic stimulation of LSD is varied.
Psychological responses shows a feeling that a unique experience is occurring; feelings of depersonalization; fluctuation of mood; space and time distortions; autistic phenomena; fluctuation of aggressiveness (usually reduction); and spontaneous reoccurrence of the LSD experience.1
The responses can be related to following three basic phenomena:
* expectation
* loss of characteristic modes of perceptual and cognitive patterning
* Hyper-suggestibility. 1
Sources:
There are two main sources of LSD; ergot, known as a poison or toxin for many centuries, and the morning glory plant. 2
Ergot:
Ergot is the rhizomorph of Claviceps purpurea, the parasite fungus which...