1cP-AL-LAD (1-cyclopropanoyl-AL-LAD) is a synthetic psychedelic of the lysergamide family and the N1-cyclopropanoyl ester of AL-LAD (6-allyl-6-nor-LSD). It is strongly believed to function as a prodrug for AL-LAD, with rapid esterase-mediated cleavage of the cyclopropanoyl group releasing active AL-LAD in vivo. The compound appeared in the research chemical market as a legally distinct alternative to AL-LAD in jurisdictions where that compound had been specifically scheduled.
AL-LAD occupies a distinctive place among lysergamides for its shorter duration (6–8 hours versus 8–12 hours for LSD) and its reputation for a more colorful, playful, and visually vivid character compared to LSD's more analytical and introspective tone. Community reports for 1cP-AL-LAD consistently mirror the AL-LAD profile: a faster-moving, more sensory and social experience with slightly reduced philosophical weight. The allyl substitution at the N6 position appears to produce faster receptor dissociation kinetics compared to LSD's N-diethyl structure, contributing to the shorter duration.
1cP-AL-LAD has been reported by users to have a smoother onset compared to AL-LAD directly, consistent with the prodrug conversion step adding a slight delay. It has gained a reputation in psychedelic communities as an approachable lysergamide for those who value shorter duration or prefer a lighter, more visually-oriented character. Community reports of challenging experiences generally describe them as less philosophically confronting than LSD but potentially more disorienting visually.
Testing with Ehrlich reagent (purple/violet reaction) is essential before use. As with all research chemical lysergamides, the long-term safety profile has not been formally studied, and the risks are extrapolated from the broader class.
Safety at a Glance
High Risk- Based on community reports (extrapolated from AL-LAD):
- Threshold: 45–75 μg
- Toxicity: Acute Toxicity No formal toxicological data exist for 1cP-AL-LAD or AL-LAD in humans. Acute toxicity by structural an...
- Overdose risk: Overdose The LD50 of 1cP-AL-LAD is unknown. Adverse psychological reactions are common especially...
If someone is in crisis, call 911 or Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
Dosage
oral
Duration
oral
Total: 7 hrs – 10 hrsHow It Feels
It begins with a flicker at the edges of vision, a shimmer in the air that could be mistaken for heat haze. Within thirty minutes of ingestion the world starts to wobble at its seams. 1cP-AL-LAD is above all a visual substance, and even during the come-up the perceptual channel is already saturated with activity: walls begin to ripple, patterns emerge on uniform surfaces, and the color palette of ordinary reality shifts toward something more vivid and saturated.
The body responds with a light, almost buoyant energy. There is none of the heavy sedation that marks some psychedelics, nor the intense stimulation that characterizes others. Instead you feel a gentle uplift, as though gravity has been dialed down by a fraction. A mild tingling may travel along the forearms and scalp, and temperature perception drifts slightly warm. Nausea is rare and typically brief.
At peak intensity the visual field becomes a continuous spectacle. Fractal geometries cascade across every surface, breathing and morphing in time with ambient sound. Colors seem to emit their own light, and depth perception stretches and compresses in playful ways. Objects develop ornate halos and tracers follow moving points of light. The headspace, however, remains comparatively clear and lucid. You can carry a conversation, follow a narrative, make decisions. There is emotional coloring, a tendency toward amusement and wonder, but the deep ego dissolution and philosophical gravity common to LSD are largely absent here.
The experience wraps up relatively quickly. By the five- or six-hour mark the intensity is clearly waning. The geometric overlays fade to subtle breathing, the heightened color saturation returns to baseline, and you are left with a mild afterglow marked by enhanced pattern recognition and a lingering appreciation for visual beauty. The short duration and gentle cognitive profile make the offset remarkably smooth, transitioning from extraordinary perception back to ordinary life with little friction.
Subjective Effects
The effects listed below are based on the Subjective Effect Index (SEI), an open research literature based on anecdotal reports and personal analyses. They should be viewed with a healthy degree of skepticism. These effects will not necessarily occur in a predictable or reliable manner, although higher doses are more liable to induce the full spectrum of effects.
Physical Effects
Physical(23)
- Appetite suppression— A distinct decrease in hunger and desire to eat, ranging from reduced interest in food to complete d...
- Bodily control enhancement— Bodily control enhancement is the subjective feeling of improved physical precision, coordination, a...
- Changes in felt bodily form— Changes in felt bodily form is the experience of one's body feeling as though it has altered its phy...
- Dehydration— A state of insufficient bodily hydration manifesting as persistent thirst, dry mouth, and physical d...
- Difficulty urinating— Difficulty urinating, also known as urinary retention, is the experience of being unable to easily p...
- Excessive yawning— Involuntary, repeated yawning that occurs far more frequently than normal and often without the usua...
- Increased blood pressure— Increased blood pressure (hypertension) is an elevation of arterial pressure above the normal 120/80...
- Increased bodily temperature— Increased bodily temperature (hyperthermia) is an elevation of core body temperature above the norma...
- Increased heart rate— A noticeable acceleration of heartbeat that can range from a subtle awareness of one's pulse to a fo...
- Increased libido— A marked enhancement of sexual desire, arousal, and sensitivity to erotic stimuli that can range fro...
- Increased salivation— Increased salivation (hypersalivation or sialorrhea) is the excessive production of saliva beyond wh...
- Laughter fits— Spontaneous, uncontrollable, and often prolonged episodes of intense laughter that erupt without any...
- Nausea— An uncomfortable sensation of queasiness and stomach discomfort that may or may not lead to vomiting...
- Perception of bodily lightness— Perception of bodily lightness is the subjective feeling that one's body has become dramatically lig...
- Physical euphoria— An intensely pleasurable bodily sensation that can manifest as waves of warmth, tingling electricity...
- Physical fatigue— Physical fatigue is a state of bodily exhaustion characterized by reduced energy, diminished capacit...
- Pupil dilation— A visible enlargement of the pupil diameter (mydriasis) that can range from subtle widening to drama...
- Sedation— A state of deep physical and mental calming that manifests as a progressive desire to remain still, ...
- Seizure— Uncontrolled brain electrical activity causing convulsions and loss of consciousness -- a life-threa...
- Serotonin syndrome— Serotonin syndrome is a potentially fatal medical emergency caused by excessive serotonergic activit...
- Stamina enhancement— Stamina enhancement is an increase in one's ability to sustain physical and mental exertion over ext...
- Stimulation— A state of heightened physical and mental energy characterized by increased wakefulness, elevated mo...
- Temperature regulation disruption— Impaired thermoregulation causing unpredictable fluctuations between feeling hot and cold, with risk...
Tactile(1)
- Tactile enhancement— The sense of touch becomes dramatically heightened, making physical contact feel intensely pleasurab...
Cognitive & Perceptual Effects
Visual(17)
- After images— A visual phenomenon in which a faint, ghostly imprint of a previously viewed image persists in the v...
- Colour enhancement— An intensification of the brightness, vividness, and saturation of colors in the external environmen...
- Colour shifting— The visual experience of colors on objects and surfaces cycling through continuous, fluid transforma...
- Depth perception distortions— Alterations in how the distance of objects within the visual field is perceived, causing layers of s...
- Diffraction— The experience of seeing rainbow-like spectrums of color and prismatic halos embedded within bright ...
- Drifting— The visual experience of perceiving stationary objects, textures, and surfaces as appearing to flow,...
- External hallucination— A visual hallucination that manifests within the external environment as though it were physically r...
- Geometry— The experience of perceiving complex, ever-shifting geometric patterns superimposed over the visual ...
- Internal hallucination— Vivid, detailed visual experiences perceived within an imagined mental landscape that can only be se...
- Pattern recognition enhancement— An increased ability and tendency to perceive meaningful patterns, faces, and images within ambiguou...
- Perspective hallucination— A hallucinatory phenomenon in which the observer's visual perspective shifts from the normal first-p...
- Scenery slicing— The visual field fractures into distinct, cleanly cut sections that slowly drift apart from their or...
- Settings, sceneries, and landscapes— The perceived environment in which hallucinatory experiences take place, ranging from recognizable l...
- Symmetrical texture repetition— Textures appear to mirror and tessellate across surfaces in intricate, self-similar symmetrical patt...
- Tracers— Moving objects leave visible trails of varying length and opacity behind them, similar to long-expos...
- Transformations— Objects and scenery undergo perceived visual metamorphosis, smoothly shapeshifting into other recogn...
- Visual acuity enhancement— Vision becomes sharper and more defined than normal, as though a slightly blurry lens has been broug...
Cognitive(18)
- Analysis enhancement— A perceived improvement in one's ability to logically deconstruct concepts, recognize patterns, and ...
- Anxiety— Intense feelings of apprehension, worry, and dread that can range from a subtle background unease to...
- Cognitive euphoria— A cognitive and emotional state of intense well-being, elation, happiness, and joy that manifests as...
- Conceptual thinking— A shift in the nature of thought from verbal, linear sentence structures to intuitive, non-linguisti...
- Confusion— An impairment of abstract thinking marked by a persistent inability to grasp or comprehend concepts ...
- Deja vu— Intense, often prolonged sensation of having already experienced the current moment, common with psy...
- Delusion— A delusion is a fixed, false belief that is held with unshakeable certainty and is impervious to con...
- Focus enhancement— An enhanced ability to direct and sustain attention on a single task or stimulus with unusual clarit...
- Immersion enhancement— A heightened capacity to become fully absorbed and engrossed in external media such as music, films,...
- Increased sense of humor— A general amplification of one's sensitivity to finding things humorous and amusing, often causing p...
- Memory suppression— A dose-dependent inhibition of one's ability to access and utilize short-term and long-term memory, ...
- Motivation enhancement— A heightened sense of drive, ambition, and willingness to accomplish tasks, making productive effort...
- Novelty enhancement— A feeling of increased fascination, awe, and childlike wonder attributed to everyday concepts, objec...
- Psychosis— Psychosis is a serious psychiatric state involving a fundamental break from consensus reality — char...
- Thought acceleration— The experience of thoughts occurring at a dramatically increased rate, as if the mind has been shift...
- Thought loops— Becoming trapped in a repeating cycle of thoughts, actions, and emotions that loops every few second...
- Time distortion— Subjective perception of time becomes dramatically altered — minutes may feel like hours, or hours p...
- Wakefulness— An increased ability to stay awake and alert without the desire to sleep. Distinct from stimulation ...
Auditory(4)
- Auditory distortion— Auditory distortion is the experience of sounds becoming warped, pitch-shifted, flanged, or otherwis...
- Auditory enhancement— Auditory enhancement is a heightened sensitivity and appreciation of sound in which music, voices, a...
- Auditory hallucination— Auditory hallucination is the perception of sounds that have no external source — hearing music, voi...
- Auditory misinterpretation— Auditory misinterpretation is the brief, spontaneous misidentification of real sounds as entirely di...
Multi-sensory(3)
- Machinescapes— Machinescapes are complex multisensory hallucinations involving the perception of enormous mechanica...
- Scenarios and plots— Scenarios and plots are the narrative structures that emerge within hallucinatory states — coherent ...
- Synaesthesia— Stimulation of one sense triggers involuntary experiences in another — seeing sounds as colors, tast...
Transpersonal(6)
- Ego death— A profound dissolution of the sense of self in which personal identity, memories, and the boundary b...
- Existential self-realization— A sudden, visceral realization of the profound significance and improbability of one's own existence...
- Perception of eternalism— The experience that all moments across the timeline of existence are equally real and simultaneously...
- Perception of interdependent opposites— Perception of interdependent opposites is the profound, felt realization that reality is structured ...
- Perception of self-design— Perception of self-design is the powerful and often paradoxical feeling that one has personally auth...
- Unity and interconnectedness— A profound sense that identity extends beyond the self to encompass other people, nature, or all of ...
Pharmacology
Mechanism of Action
1cP-AL-LAD is believed to be rapidly hydrolyzed by esterase enzymes to AL-LAD following administration. AL-LAD then acts as a partial agonist at serotonin 5-HT2A receptors in the prefrontal cortex, producing the characteristic perceptual, cognitive, and emotional alterations of classical psychedelics through disruption of predictive-coding hierarchies and increased thalamocortical glutamate release. The 6-allyl modification at the nor-LSD lysergamide core modifies binding kinetics and receptor signaling profiles relative to LSD.
Receptor Targets
- 5-HT2A receptors — primary psychedelic target; partial agonist activity drives core effects
- 5-HT1A receptors — partial agonist; may contribute to the reported lighter, less threatening emotional tone relative to LSD
- 5-HT2C receptors — expected affinity; anxiogenic contribution at higher doses
- Dopamine D2/D3 receptors — contributes to stimulation, euphoria, and enhanced sociability
- α-adrenergic receptors — sympathomimetic effects (tachycardia, mydriasis)
The allyl group at N6 is believed to produce somewhat faster receptor dissociation compared to LSD's ethyl groups, contributing to AL-LAD's and by extension 1cP-AL-LAD's shorter duration of effects.
Pharmacokinetics
Prodrug hydrolysis proceeds via esterases in the gut and bloodstream, analogous to confirmed 1cP-LSD kinetics. Onset is typically 45–75 minutes. Peak effects occur at 2–3 hours. Total duration is approximately 6–8 hours — notably shorter than LSD — with a gentle come-down. Community reports suggest the afterglow is pleasant and less cognitively heavy than that of longer-acting lysergamides. No formal human pharmacokinetic data are available.
Tolerance
Functional cross-tolerance with all serotonergic psychedelics develops within 24–48 hours of use and reverses over approximately 5–7 days.
Detection Methods
Urine Detection
1cP-AL-LAD and its metabolites are not targeted by standard immunoassay-based urine drug screens. Because lysergamides are active at microgram doses, the absolute quantity of drug and metabolite present in biological samples is extremely low, making detection inherently difficult. Specialized urine assays using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) can identify lysergamide metabolites within approximately 24 to 72 hours after ingestion, though this window is shorter than most other drug classes due to rapid metabolism and renal clearance.
Blood and Serum Detection
Blood detection windows for 1cP-AL-LAD are narrow. Plasma concentrations peak within 1 to 3 hours of oral administration and fall below detectable thresholds within 6 to 12 hours for most analytical methods. LC-MS/MS can extend this window modestly, but serum testing for lysergamides is rarely performed outside of forensic or research contexts due to the specialized equipment required and the very low concentrations involved.
Standard Drug Panel Inclusion
1cP-AL-LAD is NOT included on standard 5-panel, 10-panel, or 12-panel drug screens. These panels test for amphetamines, cannabinoids, cocaine metabolites, opiates, and PCP (with extended panels adding benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and similar classes). Lysergamides do not cross-react with any of these immunoassay targets. Detection requires a specific request for lysergamide testing, which is uncommon in workplace, probationary, or emergency department screening.
Confirmatory Methods
When lysergamide use is specifically suspected, confirmatory testing relies on LC-MS/MS or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). LC-MS/MS is the preferred method due to its superior sensitivity at picogram-per-milliliter concentrations. Immunoassay-based LSD-specific screens exist but suffer from high false-negative rates with novel lysergamide analogs, as antibody cross-reactivity varies between compounds.
Reagent Testing (Harm Reduction)
For harm reduction identification, the Ehrlich reagent is the primary tool for 1cP-AL-LAD. A small sample placed on the reagent should produce a purple to violet color change, indicating the presence of an indole moiety characteristic of lysergamides. The Hofmann reagent provides a confirmatory blue to purple reaction. Importantly, the Marquis reagent shows no reaction or a faint olive discoloration with lysergamides, which helps distinguish them from other compound classes. A positive Ehrlich result does not confirm the specific lysergamide identity but does rule out NBOMe and NBOH compounds, which show no Ehrlich reaction. Using both Ehrlich and Hofmann reagents together provides greater confidence in lysergamide identification.
Interactions
| Substance | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 3-FMA | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| 4-MMC | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| 8-Chlorotheophylline | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| Adrafinil | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| Anandamide | Caution | Cannabis can unpredictably intensify psychedelic effects and increase anxiety |
| Cannabis | Uncertain | — |
| 1,3-Butanediol | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
| 25E-NBOH | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
| 2C-T | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
| 2C-T-2 | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
History
Origins
1cP-AL-LAD emerged in the research chemical market as a cyclopropanoyl prodrug of AL-LAD, following the pattern established by 1cP-LSD. AL-LAD itself was first synthesized by David Nichols' group at Purdue University in the 1980s as part of systematic structure-activity research on lysergamide psychedelics. Nichols and colleagues explored AL-LAD as a research tool to understand LSD's pharmacological mechanisms, publishing binding and activity data in the peer-reviewed literature.
Market History
AL-LAD gained widespread recreational use in the early-to-mid 2010s research chemical market, particularly after the United Kingdom's MHRA classified many LSD analogs and suppliers shifted to new compounds. 1cP-AL-LAD appeared as AL-LAD itself became scheduled in various jurisdictions, serving as a legal alternative with presumed equivalent activity.
Legal Status
1cP-AL-LAD is not specifically scheduled under international drug conventions. However, it may fall under analog act provisions in the United States and has been captured under blanket novel psychoactive substance laws in the United Kingdom and parts of the European Union. Legal status varies significantly by jurisdiction and should be verified locally before obtaining or possessing the compound.
Harm Reduction
Testing
Ehrlich reagent is essential — purple/violet reaction confirms indole compound. NBOMe compounds are far more toxic and will not react. Given AL-LAD-type compounds' less common supply chains, adulteration risk may be higher than for LSD.
Dosing
Based on community reports (extrapolated from AL-LAD):
- Threshold: 45–75 μg
- Light: 75–100 μg
- Common: 100–200 μg
- Strong: 200–300 μg
The shorter duration (6–8 hours) may tempt premature redosing — resist this, as effects continue developing for 2–3 hours after ingestion. Community reports warn against stacking doses.
Set and Setting
- Comfortable, familiar environment; positive and stable mindset going in
- The more social and colorful character of AL-LAD-type compounds makes them particularly suited to outdoor settings and social environments, though still with caution
- Trip-sitter strongly recommended for first experiences
Dangerous Combinations
- Lithium — Contraindicated; seizure and cardiac events documented with lysergamides
- MAOIs — Serotonin syndrome risk
- Tramadol — Seizure risk
- Cannabis — Dramatically amplifies intensity unpredictably; many adverse events involve cannabis
- Stimulants — Increased cardiovascular and psychological intensity
Emergency Protocol
- Difficult experiences: change environment, grounding techniques, benzodiazepines (diazepam 10–20 mg)
- Physical safety emergency: call emergency services; report substance if known
Toxicity & Safety
Acute Toxicity
No formal toxicological data exist for 1cP-AL-LAD or AL-LAD in humans. Acute toxicity by structural analogy to LSD is expected to be very low. No pharmacologically attributable fatalities have been reported. Primary risks are psychological.
Cardiovascular Effects
Sympathomimetic effects consistent with the lysergamide class: mild to moderate tachycardia, blood pressure elevation, and mydriasis. Community reports note that AL-LAD-type compounds may produce slightly more pronounced cardiovascular stimulation than LSD in some users. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should avoid this compound.
Psychological Risks
- Acute anxiety and panic — Dose-dependent; the shorter duration of AL-LAD-type compounds may make difficult experiences feel more manageable, but intensity can still be overwhelming
- Psychosis induction — Absolute contraindication in personal or family history of schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder
- HPPD — Risk with any lysergamide at sufficient dose frequency; risk mitigation requires infrequent use
Contraindications
- Personal or family history of psychosis or bipolar disorder
- Lithium, MAOI, antipsychotic, or tramadol use
- Cardiovascular disease or hypertension
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Overdose
No documented pharmacological overdoses. Extreme psychological distress is the expected presentation. Benzodiazepines are first-line intervention.
Addiction Potential
not habit-forming
Overdose Information
Overdose
The LD50 of 1cP-AL-LAD is unknown. Adverse psychological reactions are common especially at higher dosages. Some of these include anxiety, delusions, panic attacks and more rarely seizures. Medical attention is usually only needed if suspected of severe psychotic episodes or “fake acid” (such as 25i-NBOMe or DOB). Administration of benzodiazepines or antipsychotics can help to relieve the negative cognitive effects of 1cP-AL-LAD.
1cP-AL-LAD is currently a gray area compound within many parts of the world. This means that it is not known to be specifically illegal within most countries, but people may still be charged for its possession under certain circumstances such as under analog laws and with the intent to sell or consume.
Austria: 1cP-AL-LAD is technically not illegal but it may fall in the NPSG (Neue-Psychoaktive-Substanzen-Gesetz Österreich) as an analogue of LSD.
Germany: 1cP-AL-LAD is illegal in Germany as of July 2021.
Switzerland: 1cP-AL-LAD can be considered a controlled substance as a defined derivative of Lysergic Acid under Verzeichnis E point 263. It is legal when used for scientific or industrial use.
United States: 1cP-AL-LAD is unscheduled but can be considered to be an analogue of LSD, which would make it illegal to possess for human consumption under the Federal Analogue Act.
Responsible use
Research chemical
Psychedelics
AL-LAD
LSD
1cP-AL-LAD (Isomer Design)
Tolerance
| Full | almost immediately after ingestion |
| Half | 5-7 days |
| Zero | 14 days |
Cross-tolerances
Legal Status
1cP-AL-LAD is currently a gray area compound within many parts of the world. This means that it is not known to be specifically illegal within most countries, but people may still be charged for its possession under certain circumstances such as under analog laws and with the intent to sell or consume.
Austria: 1cP-AL-LAD is technically not illegal but it may fall in the NPSG (Neue-Psychoaktive-Substanzen-Gesetz Österreich) as an analogue of LSD.
Germany: 1cP-AL-LAD is illegal in Germany as of July 2021.
Switzerland: 1cP-AL-LAD can be considered a controlled substance as a defined derivative of Lysergic Acid under Verzeichnis E point 263. It is legal when used for scientific or industrial use.
United States: 1cP-AL-LAD is unscheduled but can be considered to be an analogue of LSD, which would make it illegal to possess for human consumption under the Federal Analogue Act.
Responsible use
Research chemical
Psychedelics
AL-LAD
LSD
1cP-AL-LAD (Isomer Design)
Experience Reports (1)
Tips (3)
People with a personal or family history of psychotic disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar type I) should avoid 1cP-AL-LAD and other psychedelics. These substances can trigger or exacerbate psychotic episodes in predisposed individuals.
Clear your schedule for the full duration of 1cP-AL-LAD plus afterglow. Do not plan any obligations, driving, or important decisions for the day. Having a time pressure or commitment hanging over you adds unnecessary anxiety.
Keep a benzodiazepine like alprazolam on hand as an emergency trip abort tool when using 1cP-AL-LAD. Even just knowing you have one available provides psychological reassurance. It will not fully end the trip but significantly reduces intensity.
See Also
Same Class
References (4)
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety — Griffiths et al. Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)paper
- Neural correlates of the LSD experience revealed by multimodal neuroimaging — Carhart-Harris et al. PNAS (2016)paper
- 1cP-AL-LAD - TripSit Factsheet
TripSit factsheet for 1cP-AL-LAD
tripsit - 1cP-AL-LAD - Wikipedia
Wikipedia article on 1cP-AL-LAD
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