Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
06:06
Color Spot Test As a Presumptive Tool for the Rapid Detection of Synthetic Cathinones
Published on: February 5, 2018
LSD - An Overview on Drug Action and Detection
1Division of Forensic Toxicology, Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rockville, MD, USA.
Forensic Science Review
|August 11, 2015
Summary
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a potent hallucinogen. Detecting LSD in urine, primarily using immunoassay and GC-MS, is crucial for forensic investigations due to abuse concerns.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Toxicology
- Pharmacology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a potent psychoactive semisynthetic ergot alkaloid.
- LSD abuse poses significant risks, including "flashbacks" and fatal accidents.
- Established methods for detecting LSD and its metabolites are limited, complicating drug abuse monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current methods for detecting lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in biological samples.
- To highlight the challenges in identifying LSD and its metabolites.
- To discuss the role of analytical techniques in forensic investigations.
Main Methods:
- Initial screening typically employs immunoassay techniques due to their simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
- Confirmation of LSD presence in urine is achieved using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
- Selective extraction methods are preferred for sensitive detection, reaching concentrations as low as 50 pg/mL.
Main Results:
- Most current detection methods focus on identifying unchanged LSD in urine.
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is the standard confirmatory technique.
- Emerging liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods for detecting LSD metabolites show promise.
Conclusions:
- Accurate detection of LSD is essential for addressing drug abuse and its consequences.
- Immunoassay and GC-MS are established methods, but challenges remain in metabolite detection.
- Advancements in analytical techniques, like LC-MS, are improving forensic capabilities.
Keywords:
Biochemical and pharmacological actionsLSDmetabolism and excretionmethods of analysissynthesisMore Related Videos
10:17High-throughput and Comprehensive Drug Surveillance Using Multisegment Injection-Capillary Electrophoresis-Mass Spectrometry
Published on: April 23, 2019
08:54Determining Four Components in a Lipid Nanoparticle RNA Delivery System by Liquid Chromatography Combined with Evaporative Light Scattering Detector
Published on: May 30, 2025
Related Concept Videos
01:26Drug Discovery: Overview
Drug discovery is a multifaceted process involving extensive screening, testing, and optimization of lead compounds to identify potential new drugs for therapeutic use. It combines several approaches, including screening large numbers of natural products, chemical modification of known active molecules, identification of new drug targets, and rational design based on biological mechanisms and drug-receptor structure. These approaches are carried out in both academic research laboratories and...
01:25Drug Regulation
Drug regulation encompasses the management of drug usage by evaluating its safety and efficacy through assessments conducted by regulatory authorities. Regrettably, the history of drug regulation is marred by several catastrophic events. One such incident is the Elixir Sulfanilamide tragedy, in which the toxic compound diethyl glycol was included in a sweet-tasting medication, leading to numerous fatalities. This event prompted the enactment of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938. Under...
01:24Principles of Drug Action
Drugs are chemical substances that modify biological responses by interacting with macromolecular targets such as receptors, ion channels, transporters, and enzymes. Pharmacodynamics describes the course of action of drugs leading to the physiological effect at a specific site in the body.
Drugs can be agonists or antagonists. Like the endogenous ligands, agonists always bind and activate the target to produce a cellular response. Agonist binding induces a conformational change which in turn...
Drugs can be agonists or antagonists. Like the endogenous ligands, agonists always bind and activate the target to produce a cellular response. Agonist binding induces a conformational change which in turn...
01:15High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Types of Detectors
The role of the detectors in High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is to analyze the solutes as they exit from the chromatographic column. The detector recognizes the solute's property and generates corresponding electrical signals, which are converted into a readable graph of the detector's response versus elution time called a chromatogram at the computer. There are several types of HPLC detectors, each with its own advantages and limitations, depending on the analyte properties and...
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not necessarily...
01:26Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Drug Analysis Methods
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is a clinical practice that measures specific drug levels in a patient's blood or body tissues to tailor drug therapy effectively. This monitoring is critical for managing drugs with narrow therapeutic indices like digoxin and phenytoin, ensuring they are both safe and effective. For instance, monitoring theophylline levels in asthma patients involves precision and sensitivity to adjust doses according to individual responses to therapy, ensuring efficacy and...