The Effects of Ibogaine on Uterine Smooth Muscle Contractions: Relation to the Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes.
Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity January 1, 2018 Zorana Oreščanin-dušić, Nikola Tatalović, Teodora Vidonja-Uzelac et al. 7 citations
Ibogaine, an alkaloid from the African shrub Tabernanthe iboga, alters uterine muscle activity in a concentration-dependent way. Low concentrations stimulate spontaneous contractions, while higher doses inhibit them. Inhibitory doses reduce SOD1 activity and increase GSH-Px activity; complete inhibition raises CAT activity. These enzyme changes are due to posttranslational modifications, not altered protein levels, and point to a large rise in hydrogen peroxide. Since extracellular ATP stimulates uterine contractions and hydrogen peroxide inhibits them, ibogaine's dual effect likely stems from its known impact on cellular ATP levels and redox balance.