Treating drug dependence with the aid of ibogaine: a retrospective study.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) November 1, 2014 Eduardo Ekman Schenberg, Maria Angélica De Castro Comis, Bruno Rasmussen Chaves et al. 110 citations
Ibogaine, an alkaloid used to treat drug dependence, is illegal in some countries but unregulated in Brazil, where it is combined with psychotherapy. A retrospective analysis of 75 former alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and crack users (72% poly-drug users) found no serious adverse reactions or fatalities. 61% of participants remained abstinent. Those treated with ibogaine once reported a median abstinence of 5.5 months; those treated multiple times, 8.4 months. Both single and multiple treatments resulted in longer abstinence than before the first session. The findings suggest that physician-supervised ibogaine with psychotherapy can facilitate prolonged abstinence without fatalities, indicating it may be a safe and effective treatment for stimulant and other non-opiate drug dependence.