Speaker Bio
I completed my medical school at the University of Basel in 2018 and subsequently started my specialisation in psychiatry and psychotherapy. During my two years working as a resident, I gained my first clinical experience working at a crisis intervention center and a unit focusing in the treatment of affective, anxiety and psychosomatic disorders. My conceptual interest in the field of psychedelics as a novel therapeutical approach in mental health grew during my clinical work with patients. I am particularly fascinated by the psychological components of substance-induced mind-altering states and their psychotherapeutical potentials. After two years as a clinician, I started my MD-PhD in the psychopharmacological research team of Prof. Matthias E. Liechti at the University Hospital of Basel where I conduct two PhD projects investigating the oral bioequivalence and bioavailability of oral formulations of LSD and in a second study investigating 2C-B's acute subjective effects and pharmacology.
ICPR 2024 Abstract
Bioequivalence and absolute bioavailability of oral LSD base and tartrate
Background: Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is currently being investigated as novel treatment option in psychiatry & neurology. Different LSD formulations (base or tartrate) are being used. It is unclear whether those formulations are equivalent and the absolute oral bioavailability of LSD is unknown.
Methods: We used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design in 20 healthy participants investigating three different oral LSD base and tartrate formulations at equivalent LSD base doses (target dose of 80 µg) to probe bioequivalence and one intravenous formulation to determine absolute oral bioavailability (BA). We assessed plasma concentrations, acute subjective, autonomic and adverse effects up to 24h. Maximal concentrations (Cmax) and areas under the concentration-time curves (AUC) were determined using non-compartmental analysis in Phoenix WinNonlin.
Results: All oral formulations were bioequivalent (AUC and Cmax). BA was between 80-81%. No significant pharmacodynamic differences were observed between oral formulations. The intravenous formulation induced comparable ratings of any drug effects and good drug effects compared to the oral formulations, but significantly greater bad drug effects, nausea and anxiety. All oral formulations produced similar moderate increases in diastolic and systolic blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature compared to placebo. The intravenous formulation induced stronger increase in heart rate compared to oral formulations.
Conclusions: LSD base and tartrate are bioequivalent when dosed orally at the same base doses. BA of LSD is 80% of an intravenous administration. LSD dosing in research with LSD base and tartrate can be considered equivalent.