Effects of LSD on human chromosomes

A number of positive and negative studies have been reported with regard to the damaging effects of LSD on human chromosomes. The present report describes a comparative study of cytogenetic analyses of 200 metaphases of lymphocytes from each of 6 subjects (3 males, 3 females) at varying concentrations of LSD, along with a positive control with mitomycin C and a negative control with sterile water. Results of a small pilot study on the effects of LSD on growth, macromolecular synthesis, mutation, and recombination in bacteria, lambda phage and mammalian cells are also included. The data failed to show any significant differences between chromosome aberrations and LSD. Significant changes in somatic cells and in chromosomes occurred only at high doses of LSD.