Lysergic acid 2,4-dimethylazetidide, also known as LSZ, LA-SS-Az, or LA-Azetidide, is an

analog Analog or analogue may refer to: Computing and electronics * Analog signal, in which information is encoded in a continuous variable ** Analog device, an apparatus that operates on analog signals *** Analog electronics, circuits which use analog ...

LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD (from German ; often referred to as acid or lucy), is a semisynthetic, hallucinogenic compound derived from ergot, known for its powerful psychological effects and serotonergic activity. I ...

developed by the team led by David E. Nichols at

Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...

. It was developed as a rigid analog of LSD with the diethylamide group constrained into an azetidine ring in order to map the binding site at the 5-HT_2A

receptor Receptor may refer to: * Sensory receptor, in physiology, any neurite structure that, on receiving environmental stimuli, produces an informative nerve impulse *Receptor (biochemistry), in biochemistry, a protein molecule that receives and respond ...

. There are three possible

stereoisomer In stereochemistry, stereoisomerism, or spatial isomerism, is a form of isomerism in which molecules have the same molecular formula and sequence of bonded atoms (constitution), but differ in the three-dimensional orientations of their atoms in ...

s around the azetidine ring, with the (''S'',''S'')-(+) isomer being the most active, slightly more potent than LSD itself in drug discrimination tests using trained rats. There have been several unconfirmed reports of lysergic acid 2,4-dimethylazetidide being synthesized in illicit laboratories and distributed on blotter paper or in liquid solution under names such as "diazedine" and " λ".

Dosage and effects

The dosage of LSZ in humans is said to be 100 to 300μg orally, which is higher than the listed dosage of LSD (60–200μg). According to David E. Nichols, LSZ is about

equipotent In mathematics, two set (mathematics), sets or class (mathematics), classes ''A'' and ''B'' are equinumerous if there exists a one-to-one correspondence (or bijection) between them, that is, if there exists a function (mathematics), function from ...

with LSD in humans. Hence, unlike in rodents, LSZ does not appear to be more potent than LSD in humans.

Pharmacology

LSZ produces the

head-twitch response The head-twitch response (HTR), also sometimes known as wet dog shakes (WDS) in rats, is a rapid side-to-side head movement that occurs in mice and rats in association with serotonin 5-HT2A receptor activation. Serotonergic psychedelics like lys ...

, a behavioral proxy of

psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary mental states (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips") and a perceived "expansion of consciousness". Also referred to as classic halluci ...

-like effects, in rodents. It shows about the same

potency Potency may refer to: * Potency (pharmacology), a measure of the activity of a drug in a biological system * Virility * Cell potency, a measure of the differentiation potential of stem cells * In homeopathic dilutions, potency is a measure of ho ...

as LSD in producing this effect. However, LSZ shows a weaker maximal HTR than LSD or

AL-LAD AL-LAD, also known as 6-allyl-6-nor-LSD, is a psychedelic drug of the substituted lysergamide, lysergamide family related to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). It was first described by 1976. Subsequently, the drug was described by Alexander Shu ...

in terms of magnitude. The drug also substitutes for LSD in rodent

drug discrimination Drug discrimination (DD) is a technique in behavioral neuroscience used to evaluate the discriminative stimulus properties or interoceptive cues of psychoactive drugs. In drug discrimination, a subject is trained on a training drug, and then i ...

tests. It was about 1.8-fold more potent than LSD in this assay.

History

In 2013, LSZ also appeared on some

designer drug A designer drug is a structural or functional analog of a controlled substance that has been designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug, while avoiding classification as illegal and/or detection in standard drug tests. ...

and

research chemical Research chemicals are chemical substances which scientists use for medical and scientific research purposes. One characteristic of a research chemical is that it is for laboratory research use only; a research chemical is not intended for human ...

markets in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. LSZ later gained international popularity through a small cluster of mail-order novel psychedelic shops that appeared in 2012.

Society and culture

Legal status

United Kingdom

On June 10, 2014, the

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is a British statutory advisory non-departmental public body, which was established under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Mandate Its terms of reference, according to the Act, are as follows: ...

(ACMD) recommended that LSZ be specifically named in the UK Misuse of Drugs Act as a class A drug despite not identifying any harm associated with its use. The UK Home office accepted this advice and announced a ban of the substance to be enacted on 6 January 2015 as part o
The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2014

Switzerland

LSZ is illegal in

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

as of December 2015, in Denmark as of May 2015, and in Sweden as of January 26, 2016.

References

External links

LSZ - Isomer Design

LSZ - PsychonautWiki

LSZ - Erowid

The Big & Dandy LSZ Thread - Bluelight

LSZ (Lysergic Acid Dimethylazetidide): Stronger Than LSD
{{Ergolines 5-HT2A agonists 5-HT2B agonists 5-HT2C agonists Azetidines Designer drugs Psychedelic lysergamides Serotonin receptor agonists