What We Have Gained from Ibogaine: α3β4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Inhibitors as Treatments for Substance Use Disorders.
Journal of medicinal chemistry January 12, 2023 Carolyn J Straub, Lisa E Rusali, Kyle M Kremiller et al. 19 citations
Ibogaine, the main psychoactive alkaloid in Tabernanthe iboga, has been studied for decades as a possible treatment for substance use disorders because it may interrupt addiction to multiple drugs. Its inhibition of α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain is a likely mechanism for this anti-addictive effect. This perspective examines several classes of compounds developed to target α3β4 nAChRs, focusing on those effective in pre-clinical models of drug abuse and evaluated clinically. It highlights the promising potential of α3β4 nAChRs as viable targets for treating a wide array of substance use disorders and discusses challenges that must be overcome to develop these ligands into therapeutic treatments.