Clinical Pharmacokinetics
February 14, 2017
Patrick C. Dolder, Yasmin Schmid, Andrea E. Steuer et al.
134 citations
After oral administration, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) reaches peak plasma concentrations of 1.3 ng/mL (100 µg dose) and 3.1 ng/mL (200 µg dose) within about 1.5 hours, with a plasma half-life of 2.6 hours. Subjective effects last 8 to 12 hours depending on dose, and peak effects occur around 2.5 to 2.8 hours after ingestion. A close relationship exists between LSD concentration and subjective response within individuals, but no correlation was found between plasma levels and effects across different people at peak concentration. The effects are related to changing plasma concentrations over time, without evidence of acute tolerance.
Journal of Neuroendocrinology
February 6, 2016
Petra Strajhar, Yasmin Schmid, Evangelia Liakoni et al.
129 citations
A single 200 microgram dose of LSD increases several stress-related steroid hormones in the blood, particularly glucocorticoids like cortisol and corticosterone, in healthy adults. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study with 16 participants, LSD raised plasma levels of cortisol, cortisone, corticosterone, and 11-dehydrocorticosterone compared to placebo, with peak cortisol levels occurring about 2.5 hours after dosing. LSD also increased the androgen dehydroepiandrosterone but did not affect other androgens, progestogens, or mineralocorticoids. The rises in glucocorticoids closely tracked blood LSD concentrations and the intensity of the psychedelic experience, without signs of acute tolerance.
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
June 24, 2015
Patrick C. Dolder, Yasmin Schmid, Manuel Haschke et al.
110 citations
Oral lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) shows dose-proportional pharmacokinetics, with peak concentrations reached about 1.5 hours after ingestion and a terminal half-life of approximately 3.6 hours. The drug's effects are closely related to its blood concentration, with subjective effects lasting up to 12 hours. These findings provide a reference for clinical studies and for assessing LSD intoxication.
Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis
May 26, 2017
Patrick C. Dolder, Matthias E. Liechti, Katharina Rentsch
31 citations
A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated to measure lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and several of its metabolites in human plasma. After controlled administration of 100 μg LSD to 24 healthy subjects, the method accurately and precisely quantified LSD in all plasma samples, with a quantification limit of 0.05 ng/mL. Other compounds—iso-LSD, 2-oxo-3-hydroxy LSD, nor-LSD, lysergic acid monoethylamide, lysergic acid ethyl-2-hydroxyethylamide, 2-oxo-LSD, trioxylated-LSD, and 13/14-hydroxy-LSD—were only sporadically detected at levels too low for quantification.