Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) has to be one of the most controversial chemicals in the world of pharmacology. LSD was once a popular recreational drug and, although now illegal in most countries, one which is still widely available. LSD has been reputed to have beneficial effects, but early research was stopped abruptly and there has been little debate about it in the public or scientific domains since. Nonetheless, it holds a significant place in the history of drugs, especially in connection with early chemical and psychological research.( Coulson, C.J,(1988))
LSD was discovered in 1943 by Albert Hoffmann, a chemist at German company Sandoz, who was working on the development of ergot alkaloids. These compounds are obtained from the fungus Claviceps purpurea which forms the ergot, a purple growth, around damp rye grain. On one occasion, Hoffmann felt unwell and later experienced a variety of disordered visions for some hours. Guessing that these effects may be due to the intoxication by one of the compounds he was working with, he carried out a deliberate investigation by ingesting 250[micro]g of the ergot. Writing about the experience 30 years later, he said that faces surrounding him appeared as grotesque coloured masks, and he experienced muscle spasms, alternating with paralysis, during which he felt as if his limbs, head and entire body were filled with lead. He awoke the next moming feeling perfectly well, with clear recognition of the event, and recalled, as if being an independent observer, that he acted quite insanely. The substance responsibl e for these effects was identified as LSD (lysergische saure-diathylamid in German), which has since become one of the most widely known psychotomimetic drugs. It has attracted attention from many sources and its pharmacological properties were of great interest to scientists trying to understand how the brain works.( Weatherall, M.,(1990)).........
