Alexander Shulgin was an American biochemist, organic chemist, medicinal chemist, psycho-pharmacologist, pharmacologist, and author. He is best remembered for introducing various drugs like 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, which is commonly known as ecstasy or MDMA, to psychologists for psycho-pharmaceutical use, in the late 1970s. Shulgin is also credited with the discovery and personal bioassay of more than 230 psychoactive compounds for their entactogenic and psychedelic potential. A respected figure, Alexander Shulgin contributed immensely to various fields. He worked with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the late 1960s and taught at the San Francisco General Hospital and in several universities. Nicknamed the godfather of psychedelics, Alexander Shulgin is also known for his detailed and precise documentation of personal experiences with psychedelics. These experiences were published in the form of two books, namely PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story and TiHKAL: The Continuation.
