Immunological Consequences of In Vitro Exposure to Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)
Abstract
The ability of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) to alter immune function after direct in vitro exposure was examined. It was demonstrated that LSD is able to suppress the proliferation of B-lymphocytes; the production of the cytokines IL-2, IL-4, and IL-6; and the induction of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes at a concentration of 100 microM. In vitro exposure to LSD had differential effects on natural killer (NK) cell activity, with significant enhancement of both basal and IL-2-augmented NK cell function at concentrations between 0.0001 and 0.1 microM, and suppression of NK response at 100 microM. These results demonstrate that LSD may have a direct effect on components of the immune system at concentrations that may be reached upon human exposure.
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MBIs decrease subjective psychological stress and improve stress regulation via HPA axis, cortisol, and reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6.
“MBIs decrease subjective psychological stress levels [18, [98] and helps people handle stress more effectively by making them less reactive to it and by improving the brain's ability to regulate stress-related processes, through its effect on the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, cortisol secretion [107, [99], and additionally reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6 [107,”
From Mindfulness meditation and psychedelics: potential synergies and commonalities (2023) · cites this paper as [107]
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- Authors
- House, R. V., Thomas, P. T., & Bhargava, H. N.
- Affiliations
- IIT Research Institute (US)
- University of Illinois Chicago (US)
- Venue
- Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1994-01
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 23-40
- ISSN
- 0892-3973 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-2513
- OpenAlex
- W2017899999
- Cited by
- 43
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5k02da000130-03)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA K02-DA-00130, NIDA 271-91-9201)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immunotoxicology and immune responses
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Cancer, Stress, Anesthesia, and Immune Response
- Keywords
- lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, immunotoxicity, B cell proliferation, cytokine production, interleukin-2, IL-4, interleukin-6, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, immunosuppression
- MeSH terms
- Animals, B-Lymphocytes, Cells, Cultured, Female, Interleukins, Killer Cells, Natural, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, Macrophages, Mice, Inbred Strains, Lymphocyte Subsets, T-Lymphocyte Subsets, Mice
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