Nonpsychic Effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide
Authors: Kurt Hirschhorn, Maimon M. Cohen
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1967)

Editorials1 November 1967Nonpsychic Effects of Lysergic Acid DiethylamideKURT HIRSCHHORN, M.D., MAIMON M. COHEN, PH.D.KURT HIRSCHHORN, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, MAIMON M. COHEN, PH.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-67-5-1109 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptThe acute and the chronic psychotomimetic potentials of the hallucinogen lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) have been documented (1). That additional effects of LSD should come under scrutiny at this time is particularly pertinent considering the supposed widespread use of this drug among the population. Recent investigations have demonstrated that small doses of LSD (as low as 0.001 µg/ml) yielded a two- to threefold increase of chromosomal damage in comparison with untreated control cells. A similar in vivo effect was predicted by the finding of increased chromosomal abnormalities in one patient receiving LSD therapy for a psychiatric disorder (2). This observation...References1. FROSCHROBBINSSTERN WAESM: Untoward reactions to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) resulting in hospitalization. New Eng. J. Med. 273: 1235, 1965. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. COHENMARINELLOBACK MMMJN: Chromosomal damage in human leukocytes induced by lysergic acid diethylamide. Science 155: 1417, 1967. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. IRWINEGOZCUE SJ: Chromosome abnormalities in leukocytes from LSD-25 users. Science 157: 313, 1967. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. COHENHIRSCHHORNFROSCH MMKWA: In vivo and in vitro chromosome damage induced by LSD-25. New Eng. J. Med. In press. Google Scholar5. ALEXANDERMILESGOLDALEXANDER GJBEGMRB: LSD: injection early in pregnancy produces abnormalities in offspring of rats. Science 157: 459, 1967. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. AUERBACHRUGOWSKI RJA: Lysergic acid diethylamide: effect on embryos. Ibid., p. 1325. Google Scholar7. SWIFTHIRSCHHORN MRK: Fanconi's anemia: inherited susceptibility to chromosome breakage in various tissues. Ann. Intern. Med. 65: 496, 1966. LinkGoogle Scholar8. GERMANARCHIBALDBLOOM JRD: Chromosomal breakage in a rare and probably genetically determined syndrome of man. Science 148: 506, 1965. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. HECHTKOLERRIGASDAHNKECASETISDALEMILLER FRDDAGSMPVRW: Leukemia and lymphocytes in ataxiatelangiectasia. Lancet 2: 1193, 1966. CrossrefGoogle Scholar10. BUCKTONJACOBSCOURT BROWNDOLL KEPAWMR: Study of chromosome damage persisting after X-ray therapy for ankylosing spondylitis. Lancet 2: 676, 1962. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. COHENSHAWCRAIG MMMWAP: The effects of streptonigrin on cultured human leukocytes. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 50: 16, 1963. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar12. COHEN MM: The specific effects of streptonigrin activity on human chromosomes in culture. Cytogenetics (Basel) 2: 271, 1963. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar13. WARKANYTAKACS JE: Congenital malformations in rats from streptonigrin. Arch. Path. (Chicago) 79: 65, 1965. MedlineGoogle Scholar14. JAGIELLO G: Streptonigrin: effect on first meiotic metaphase of the mouse egg. Science 157: 453, 1967. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byBeards, Flowers, Drugs, and LoveJ. R. E. 1 November 1967Volume 67, Issue 5Page: 1109-1111KeywordsCellsChromosomal diseasesChromosomesDrugsLysergic acid diethylamide Issue Published: 1 November 1967 PDF downloadLoading ...