Fatalities after taking ibogaine in addiction treatment could be related to sudden cardiac death caused by autonomic dysfunction.
Medical hypotheses January 1, 2006 U Maas, S Strubelt 41 citations
Ibogaine, the main alkaloid of the Central African Iboga shrub, is used in Gabonian initiation ceremonies to induce near-death experiences and in Western clinics for addiction treatment, but it is illegal in the US and most of Europe because at least eight people have died after taking it, often days later or from very small doses. The authors hypothesize that these deaths result from cardiac arrhythmias caused by autonomic nervous system dysregulation. Small doses stimulate the sympathetic system (fight or flight), while high doses cause vagal dominance (feigned death).