Ibogaine: Revisiting an Ancient Alkaloid for Modern Opioid Dependence

Ibogaine is a naturally occurring hallucinogenic alkaloid originally used in ritualistic ceremonies by West Central African tribes for centuries. Ibogaine's rise in popularity in the 1960s was fueled by reports from those with a heroin addiction that claimed ibogaine stemmed their addiction. Currently, there is a renewed interest in ibogaine's potential for treating opioid dependence.

We reviewed ibogaine's mechanism of action, potential drawbacks associated with its use, and recent progress in clinical trials.

Ibogaine acts on several neurotransmitters in the brain such as μ and κ opioid receptors, dopamine, serotonin, N-methyl-D-aspartate, and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Ibogaine's anti-addictive effects are thought to be related to its activity on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the ventral tegmental region of the midbrain. Regarding its cardiotoxicity, ibogaine has shown to cause QTc prolongation leading to polymorphic ventricular tachycardia with cardiac arrest in one case. However, in an observational cohort study that included 30 participants, no serious adverse events occurred while taking ibogaine. Currently, there is a phase 1/2a study that has been completed, but no results regarding adverse events have been reported.

Ibogaine is an interesting candidate that needs further study to determine its safety and potential for treating opioid dependence.