Alexander Shulgin
Alexander Shulgin PhD | |
|---|---|
 Shulgin with his wife Ann in 2011 | |
| Born | Alexander Theodore Shulgin June 17, 1925 |
| Died | June 2, 2014 (aged 88) |
| Other name | Alexander "Sasha" Shulgin |
| Education | Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley (PhD) |
| Known for | Work in psychedelic chemistry on phenethylamines and tryptamines, including MDMA, 2C-B, DOM, and others |
| Notable work | PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story (1991); TiHKAL: The Continuation (1997); The Shulgin Index, Volume One (2011); Others |
| Spouses | Nina Gordon (deceased) Ann Gotlieb (deceased) |
| Children | Theodore "Ted" Shulgin |
| Awards | Several DEA awards |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry, biochemistry |
| Workplaces | Bio-Rad Laboratories, Dow Chemical Company, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco State University, San Francisco General Hospital, others |
| Thesis | The Synthesis of Several Isotopically Labelled Amino Acids (1955) |
| David M. Greenberg | |
| Website | Ask Dr. Shulgin Online |
Alexander Theodore "Sasha" Shulgin (June 17, 1925 – June 2, 2014) was an American biochemist who synthesized and tested over 200 psychedelic and related chemical compounds. Among the most notable psychedelic and related drugs that Shulgin developed include 2C-B, DOM (STP), and Ariadne (4C-D; BL-3912; Dimoxamine). In addition, he is known for discovering and describing the unique effects of the entactogen MDMA (ecstasy), which led to its use in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and to its widespread use as a recreational drug, for instance in the rave scene.
Shulgin studied chemistry at Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley and received his Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1955. He developed the best-selling biodegradable pesticide mexacarbate (Zectran) while working at Dow Chemical Company in the early 1960s. Shulgin became interested in psychedelic chemistry after having his first psychedelic experience in 1960 and from then on began developing new psychedelic compounds in his lab at his home in Lafayette, California. His approach was to synthesize the compounds, test them on himself and a small group of trusted others, and document his findings. He formally published on psychedelics in the scientific literature for decades, before publishing his books PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved) in 1991 and TiHKAL: The Continuation (Tryptamines I Have Known and Loved) in 1997. These books documented his and others' work with hundreds of phenethylamines, tryptamines, and lysergamides, including their chemical syntheses, properties and effects, and discussion. They were coauthored by Shulgin and by his wife Ann Shulgin, a pioneering psychedelic therapist, whom he met in 1978 and married in 1981. Shulgin was an academic and taught at universities such as the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, San Francisco, and San Francisco State University.
Shulgin had a close and friendly relationship with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for many decades and held a DEA license to work with Schedule I controlled substances. Following the publication of PiHKAL however, Shulgin's lab was raided by the DEA in 1993. He was stripped of his license and fined due to a violation of its terms. According to a DEA representative, "It is our opinion that those books are pretty much cookbooks on how to make illegal drugs." There have also been overdoses and deaths due to compounds that Shulgin developed, which he has expressed frustration and sadness about, but also emphasized personal freedom and that all drugs have risks. During his life, Shulgin advocated for use of psychedelics and for legalization of all drugs. He has historically been a polarizing figure, seen variously as a "hero of the counterculture", "curiosity", and "menace".
Shulgin has been described as the "greatest psychedelic chemist of all time". He has also been dubbed the "godfather of ecstasy" and as the "godfather of psychedelics". Several documentaries have been made about Shulgin and his work and life. Transform Press, the publisher of PiHKAL and TiHKAL, and the Alexander Shulgin Research Institute (ASRI) were founded by Shulgin and/or by his family and close colleagues. In addition, Shulgin's home and lab, known as the Shulgin Farm, have been memorialized as a center for psychedelic education and community. Shulgin died in 2014 at the age of 88 and was followed by his wife Ann Shulgin in 2022. As of the 2020s, many psychedelics and entactogens, including some associated with Shulgin like MDMA, are under investigation for potential medical use to treat mental health conditions.