Neurorestorative Properties of Ibogaine: Linking Multi-Receptor Affinities to Remyelination and Metabolic Restoration
Acta Neuropsychiatrica February 13, 2026 Tanya Calvey, D. Govender, Gavin Owen et al.
Ibogaine, a psychedelic alkaloid with no approved medical use, has been linked in observational studies to symptom relief for substance use disorder, multiple sclerosis, and traumatic brain injury after a single dose. This review examines the neurobiological mechanisms behind these effects, focusing on remyelination and metabolic restoration. Evidence indicates ibogaine increases markers of myelination after opioid administration, and that these disorders involve white matter pathology and disrupted metabolic homeostasis, ischemia, and hypoxia. The authors conclude that ibogaine's multi-receptor actions—particularly on NMDA, kappa opioid, and sigma receptors—reduce excitotoxicity, regulate metabolism, promote lasting neuroplasticity, and modulate immunity, facilitating neuronal repair and remyelination, supporting further research as a therapeutic agent for these central nervous system disorders.