Metabolism of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): an update
Rui Filipe Libânio Osório Marta
Drug Metabolism Reviews July 3, 2019 DOI: 10.1080/03602532.2019.1638931 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Metabolite Hallucinogen Pharmacology Metabolism Pharmacokinetics |
| Citations | 52 |
| Key findings | LSD is rapidly and extensively metabolized into inactive metabolites, with 2-oxo-3-hydroxy LSD as the major human metabolite important for toxicological detection. |
Abstract
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is the most potent hallucinogen known and its pharmacological effect results from stimulation of central serotonin receptors (5-HT2). Since LSD is seen as physiologically safe compound with low toxicity, its use in therapeutics has been renewed during the last few years. This review aims to discuss LSD metabolism, by presenting all metabolites as well as clinical and toxicological relevance. LSD is rapidly and extensively metabolized into inactive metabolites; whose detection window is higher than parent compound. The metabolite 2-oxo-3-hydroxy LSD is the major human metabolite, which detection and quantification is important for clinical and forensic toxicology. Indeed, information about LSD pharmacokinetics in humans is limited and for this reason, more research studies are needed.