Life sciences
January 1, 1995
D C Mash, J K Staley, M H Baumann et al.
108 citations
Ibogaine, a hallucinogenic indole, is thought to help treat cocaine, stimulant, and opiate abuse, possibly through a long-acting metabolite. This study reports that 12-hydroxyibogamine, a primary metabolite of ibogaine, binds with high affinity to the serotonin (5-HT) transporter and increases extracellular 5-HT levels. In binding assays, 12-hydroxyibogamine was 50-fold more potent at the 5-HT transporter than at the dopamine transporter, while ibogaine and the metabolite were equally potent at the dopamine transporter. Microdialysis showed that 12-hydroxyibogamine dose-dependently elevated extracellular 5-HT, but neither ibogaine nor its metabolite raised dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. The metabolite's enhancement of 5-HT transmission may improve mood and reduce drug craving, potentially explaining ibogaine's ability to interrupt drug-seeking behavior.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
September 1, 2000
M H Baumann, J P Pablo, S F Ali et al.
37 citations
Ibogaine, a plant-derived alkaloid being studied for substance use disorders, is rapidly converted in the body to its metabolite noribogaine. In rats, noribogaine reaches higher blood levels than ibogaine and persists for at least 24 hours. Noribogaine did not cause tremors or forepaw treading, unlike ibogaine, but both drugs elevated stress hormones corticosterone and prolactin, with ibogaine more potent for corticosterone. Neither drug affected dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens, but both increased serotonin levels, with noribogaine more potent. Noribogaine is biologically active and likely contributes to ibogaine's effects but may be safer, producing fewer adverse effects like tremors and stress-axis activation.
Brain research
October 21, 1996
S F Ali, G D Newport, W Slikker et al.
29 citations
A single injection of ibogaine (IBO) rapidly increases the hormones prolactin and corticosterone in adult male rats, with prolactin returning to normal within 60 minutes and corticosterone within 24 hours. IBO also reduces dopamine in the striatum and frontal cortex for up to two hours while raising dopamine metabolites, indicating altered dopamine processing. Some dopamine metabolite levels remain below normal 24 hours later. Serotonin and its metabolite decrease only in the striatum at 60 minutes. These effects may relate to ibogaine's reported ability to help reduce drug craving, but further research is needed.
Drug and alcohol dependence
May 1, 2000
M H Baumann, R B Rothman, S F Ali
15 citations
Ibogaine, a plant alkaloid, reduces dopamine levels across several brain regions in rats while increasing dopamine metabolites, indicating enhanced dopamine turnover. This effect differs from MK-801, an NMDA antagonist, which does not lower dopamine but modestly raises metabolites in some areas. Both drugs elevate corticosterone, but only ibogaine increases prolactin. The findings suggest ibogaine's in vivo actions on dopamine and neuroendocrine secretion are not solely due to NMDA receptor antagonism.