Biosynthesis of an Anti-Addiction Agent from the Iboga Plant

Summary

The psychoactive plant compounds (−)-ibogaine and (−)-voacangine show promise for treating opioid addiction but are difficult to obtain from natural sources. Researchers report the complete biosynthesis of (−)-voacangine and its de-esterified form, which can be converted to (−)-ibogaine by heating. This discovery enables production of these compounds through synthetic biology. Notably, these compounds have the opposite enantiomeric configuration compared to other major alkaloids in their class. The identification of the biosynthetic enzymes reveals how nature produces both enantiomeric series of this medically important alkaloid scaffold using closely related enzymes, including those that catalyze enantioselective formal Diels-Alder reactions.

Study at a glance

Abstract

(−)-Ibogaine and (−)-voacangine are plant derived psychoactives that show promise as effective treatments for opioid addiction. However, these compounds are produced by hard to source plants making these chemicals difficult for broad-scale use. Here we report the complete biosynthesis of (−)-voacangine, and de-esterified voacangine, which is converted to (−)-ibogaine by heating. This discovery will enable production of these compounds by synthetic biology methods. Notably, (−)-ibogaine and (−)-voacangine are of the opposite enantiomeric configuration compared to the other major alkaloids found in this natural product class. Discovery of these biosynthetic enzymes therefore demonstrates how nature generates both enantiomeric series of this medically important alkaloid scaffold using closely related enzymes, including those that catalyze enantioselective formal Diels-Alder reactions.