Alexander Theodore "Sasha" Shulgin (June 17, 1925 – June 2, 2014) was an American medicinal chemist, biochemist, organic chemist, pharmacologist, psychopharmacologist, and author. He is credited with introducing 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, commonly known as "ecstasy") to psychologists in the late 1970s for psychopharmaceutical use and for the discovery, synthesis and personal bioassay of over 230 psychoactive compounds for their psychedelic and entactogenic potential. In 1991 and 1997, he and his wife Ann Shulgin compiled the books PiHKAL and TiHKAL (standing for Phenethylamines and Tryptamines I Have Known And Loved), from notebooks that extensively described their work and personal experiences with these two classes of psychoactive drugs. Shulgin performed seminal work into the descriptive synthesis of many of these compounds. Some of Shulgin's noteworthy discoveries include compounds of the 2C* family (s
Alexander Theodore "Sasha" Shulgin (17 de junio de 1925 - 2 de junio de 2014) fue un químico farmacéutico estadounidense, bioquímico, químico orgánico, farmacólogo, psicofarmacólogo y autor. Se le atribuye la introducción de 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, comúnmente conocido como "ecstasy") a los psicólogos a finales de la década de 1970 para el uso psicopharmaceutical y para el descubrimiento, síntesis y bioanálisis personal de más de 230 compuestos psicoactivos por su potencial psicodélico y entactogénico. En 1991 y 1997, él y su esposa Ann Shulgin compilaron los libros PiALHK y TiHKALHK (estando para Phenethylamines y Tryptamines I Have Known And Loved), a partir de notas que describieron ampliamente su trabajo y experiencias personales con estas dos clases de drogas psicoactivas.