Cytotoxic, genotoxic, and oxidative stress-related effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and phencyclidine (PCP) in the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line
Jurič Andreja, Zandona Antonio, Lovaković Blanka Tariba, Rašić Dubravka, Pizent Alica, Kozina Goran, Katalinić Maja, Vrdoljak Ana Lucić, Karačonji Irena Brčić
Arhiv za Higijenu Rada i Toksikologiju April 1, 2022 DOI: 10.2478/aiht-2021-72-3604 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | In vitro experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line |
| Interventions | LSD PCP |
| Dose | LSD 6.25 μmol/L, PCP 3.13 μmol/L |
| Duration | 24-hour exposure |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Antioxidant enzymes Cell viability Dna damage Gsh Hallucinogenic drugs Psychoactive substances Ros Toxicity Antioksidacijski enzimi Halucinogene droge Oštećenje dna Pcp Psihoaktivne tvari Toksičnost Vijabilnost stanica |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | LSD has greater DNA damaging potential and stronger oxidative activity than PCP in SH-SY5Y cells. |
Abstract
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a classic hallucinogen, widely abused for decades, while phencyclidine (PCP) has increased in popularity in recent years, especially among the adolescents. Very little is known about the general toxicity of these compounds, especially about their possible neurotoxic effects at the cell level. The aim of this study was to address these gaps by assessing the toxic effects of 24-hour exposure to LSD and PCP in the concentration range of 0.39–100 μmol/L in the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. After cell viability was established, cells treated with concentrations that reduced their viability up to 30 % were further subjected to the alkaline comet assay and biochemical assays that enable estimation of oxidative stress-related effects. Treatment with LSD at 6.25 μmol/L and with PCP at 3.13 μmol/L resulted with 88.06±2.05 and 84.17±3.19 % of viable cells, respectively, and led to a significant increase in primary DNA damage compared to negative control. LSD also caused a significant increase in malondialdehyde level, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and glutathione (GSH) level, PCP significantly increased ROS but lowered GSH compared to control. Treatment with LSD significantly increased the activities of all antioxidant enzymes, while PCP treatment significantly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) but decreased catalase (CAT) activity compared to control. Our findings suggest that LSD has a greater DNA damaging potential and stronger oxidative activity than PCP in SH-SY5Y cells.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on LSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Is psychedelic use associated with cancer?: Interrogating a half-century-old claim using contemporary population-level data Journal of Psychopharmacology August 16, 2022
- Qualitative and quantitative in silico toxicity profiling of "angel dust": phencyclidine (PCP) analogues as new psychoactive substances (3-HO-PCP, 3-MeO-PCP, 4-MeO-PCP, 3-HO-PCE, 3-MeO-PCE, 4-MeO-PCE). Archives of Toxicology December 8, 2025
Cites 12
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- LSD and Genetic Damage Science April 30, 1971
- Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Healthy Subjects Clinical Pharmacokinetics February 14, 2017
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and 7 more in the library