DARK Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Ibogaine
ACS Chemical Neuroscience September 14, 2018 Michael Wasko, Paula A. Witt‐enderby, Christopher K. Surratt 63 citations
Ibogaine, the main psychoactive alkaloid in the West African iboga plant, has a long history of ceremonial use and was once sold as an antidepressant in France before being withdrawn due to adverse effects. In the 1960s, U.S. heroin addicts reported that ibogaine cured their opiate addictions, and animal studies showed it reduces self-administration of opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, and nicotine. Ibogaine has moderate-to-weak affinity for many receptor and transporter proteins, and recent evidence suggests its actions at nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes may explain its antiopiate effects. However, at micromolar levels ibogaine is neurotoxic and cardiotoxic, linked to several deaths.