Effect of LSD-25 (lysergic acid — diethyl amide) on the Energetic Metabolism of the Brain of Rats

Abstract

Authors investigated the effect of LSD-25, of chlorpromazine, and of a combination of both on three parts of the brain of white rats (I: cortex and white substance extending to the subcortex; II: subcortical ganglia and medulla oblongata; III: cerebellum) upon the level of total reducing substance, glycogen, lactic, and pyruvic acid, ATP, and anorganic P. Twenty minutes after injecting 2ɣ per 100 g of LSD-25, subcutaneously, in I the glycogen level increased significantly, that of total reducing substance significantly decreasing. In II: concentration of both metabolites showed significant decrease. In III: that of pyruvic acid decreased nearly significantly. The so-called ‘Whole Brain Value’ computed from the average of total reducing substance, and pyruvic acid contents as found in the three brain parts showed a significant decrease. Twenty minutes after injecting, subcutaneously, 0.30 mg per 100 g of chlorpromazine the content of total reducing substance increased significantly in II and III, the glycogen level increased nearly significantly in II where lactic acid showed a significant decrease while pyruvic acid concentration decreased significantly in all three parts. The ‘Whole Brain Value’ of the latter showed a significant decrease, total reducing substance and glycogen content increased nearly significantly. Twenty minutes after injecting, subcutaneously, 2ɣ per 100 g of LSD-25 and 0.30 mg per 100 g of chlorpromazine the ATP level in III decreased significantly, that of anorganic P showing a significant increase. The ‘Whole Brain Value’ of pyruvic acid decreased significantly, that of anorganic P increased, also significantly. Authors consider the metabolic change caused by LSD-25 to be of a dissimilatory type, that upon chlorpromazine of assimilatory type relating them to the excitatory phenomena of the central nervous system as caused by LSD-25, and the inhibitive phenomena as caused by chlorpromazine. They found a partial antagonism between the effect of both drugs upon the carbohydrate metabolism of the brain tissue. On the grounds of literary data they discuss to what degree their results might be utilized for explaining the biochemical basic processes of LSD psychosis.