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From: morley@apple.com (John Morley)
Newsgroups: alt.drugs
Subject: Re: Shelf life of LSD
Message-ID: <1r1inp$12q@apple.com>
Date: 20 Apr 1993 12:25:44 -0700
References:  <1993Apr5.193615.27502@Cadence.COM> <1qibnuINNf5o@tamsun.tamu.edu>
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In article <1qibnuINNf5o@tamsun.tamu.edu> dvinas@cs.tamu.edu (David J Vinas) writes:
>This brings up a couple of questions.  I am familiar with the story of
>the synthesis of LSD, but does anyone know exactly how he discovered
>the effects?  I mean, knowing the relative concentration of the
>chemical, how could he have ingested it, even accidentally (by touch),
>without taking too much?!?

Having just bought and read Dr. Hoffman's book "LSD My Problem Child" I can
answer these for you (wonderful book BTW).  Hoffman was working with the
ergot alkaloids and since he knew that these were quite toxic he observed
"meticulous" laboratory procedures.  However since he had no clue that LSD-25
was active in such minute doses, he managed to get enough on his skin to
cause some mild effects.  In investigating the cause of those effects he
performed a self-experiment in which he consumed .25 mg of LSD-25, an amount
so small that no known substance would produce any significant effect.  Much
to his surprise he found out that .25 mg of LSD-25 is a whopper of a dose and
he wound up tripping hard and long.

>
>Also, since the name is Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, why didn't they
>call it LAD?

Because Hoffman is Swiss, works for a Swiss pharmaceutical company (Sandoz)
and in their part of Switzerland German is the spoken language.  In German
the name of the chemical is Lysergsaure-diathylamid and it was the 25th
substance that he had synthesized in the lysergic acid family, thus the
abbreviation LSD-25.
>
>Third, I once heard a rumor that there was a prescription LSD or
>derivative thereof, (I don't remember exactly) that was used to treat
>(I thought) either heart disease or stress or hypertension, something
>like that.  From my own research, I could see it being used as a
>treatment for one of the latter 2, but certainly not the first.
>Anyway, I can't confirm any existence of a prescription form.  Can
>anyone else shed some light on this?

Yes, his company Sandoz did eventually bring LSD-25 to market as an
experimental drug for research institutions and physicians under the
trade name Delysid.  Here is the printed prospectus that was provided
(excerpt reprinted without permission).

                           Delysid (LSD 25)
                 D-lysergic acid diethylamide tartrate

Sugar-coated tablets containing 0.025 mg. (25 ug.)
Ampoules of 1 ml. containing 0.1 mg. (100 ug.) for oral administration

The solution may also be injected s.c. or i.v.  The effect is identical with
that of oral administration but sets in more rapidly.

                              PROPERTIES

The administration of very small doses of Delysid (1/2-2ug./kg. body weight)
results in transitory disturbances of affect, hallucinations, depersonal-
ization, reliving of repressed memories, and mild neurovegetative symptoms.
The effect sets in after 30 to 90 minutes and generally lasts 5 to 12 hours.
However intermittent disturbances of affect may occasionally persist for
several days.

                      METHOD OF ADMINISTRATION

For oral administration the contents of 1 ampoule of Delysid are diluted
with distilled water, a 1% solution of tartaric acid or halogen-free tap
water.  The absorption of the solution is somewhat more rapid and more
constant that that of the tablets.

Ampoules which have not been opened, which have been protected against light
and stored in a cool place are stable for an unlimited period.  Ampoules
which have been opened or diluted solutions retain their effectiveness for
1 to 2 days, if stored in a refrigerator.

                       INDICATIONS AND DOSAGE

a) Analytical psychotherapy, to elicit release of repressed material and
provide mental relaxation, particularly in anxiety states and obsessional
neuroses.  The initial dose is 25 ug. (1/4 of an ampoule or 1 tablet).  This
dose is increased at each treatment by 25 ug. until the optimum dose (usually
between 50 and 200 ug.) is found.  The individual treatments are best given
at intervals of one week.

b) Experimental studies on the nature of psychoses:  By taking Delysid
himself, the psychiatrist is able to gain an insight into the world of ideas
and sensations of mental patients.  Delysid can also be used to induce model
psychoses of short duration in normal subjects, thus facilitating studies
on the pathogenesis of mental disease.  In normal subjects, doses of 25 to
75 ug. are generally sufficient to produce a hallucinatory psychosis (on an
average 1 ug./kg. body weight).  In certain forms of psychosis and in chronic
alcoholism, higher doses are necessary (2 to 4 ug./kg. body weight).

                            PRECAUTIONS

Pathological mental conditions may be intensified by Delysid.  Particular
caution is necessary in subjects with a suicidal tendency and in those cases
where a psychotic development appears imminent.  The psycho-affective
liability and the tendency to commit impulsive acts may occasionally last for
some days.  Delysid should only be administered under strict medical
supervision.  The supervision should not be discontinued until the effects
of the drug have completely worn off.

                             ANTIDOTE

The mental effects of Delysid can be rapidly reversed by the i.m. admin-
istration of 50 mg. chlorpromazine.

                  Literature available on request.
                   SANDOZ LTD., BASLE SWITZERLAND