Ibogaine, a plant alkaloid, was associated with reduced opioid withdrawal symptoms and drug use in 30 people dependent on heroin or prescription opioids who had not benefited from other treatments. Withdrawal scores dropped from 31 to 14 within about three days. One month after treatment, half of the subjects reported no opioid use in the previous 30 days. Improvements in drug use, legal, and family or social problems were sustained for up to 12 months, though the strongest effect on drug use was at one month. These findings suggest ibogaine may offer a new model for addiction pharmacotherapy.
Ibogaine, a psychoactive alkaloid from the African plant Tabernanthe iboga, has a history of use in treating drug addiction outside conventional medical settings due to its Schedule I status in the U.S. Preclinical research generally supports anecdotal claims that ibogaine attenuates withdrawal symptoms and reduces drug cravings. However, concerns about its safety and a lack of solid human data have blocked progress toward controlled clinical trials and approval as a medication. This review outlines major preclinical findings, safety concerns, and previous and ongoing research on ibogaine as an anti-addictive treatment for humans.