Ibogaine alters synaptosomal and glial glutamate release and uptake.
Neuroreport February 12, 2001 M B Leal, T Emanuelli, L D Porciúncula et al. 14 citations
Ibogaine, a compound proposed as a potential treatment for addiction, affects glutamate handling in brain cells. In mouse cortical synaptosomes, high concentrations of ibogaine (500–1000 µM) inhibited glutamate uptake and stimulated its release, while having no effect on rat synaptosomes or cerebellar synaptosomes. Additionally, ibogaine (1000 µM) nearly abolished glutamate uptake by cortical astrocyte cultures from both rats and mice. These results provide direct evidence that ibogaine alters glutamate handling in specific brain regions and support cells, linking its mechanism to neurotoxicity rather than therapeutic effects.