New psychoactive tryptamines, which mimic the effects of regulated hallucinogens, pose a potential public health risk. Analysis of 25,296 samples submitted to a harm-reduction organization from 2006 to 2015 identified 436 tryptamines, of which 232 (53.21%) were not regulated. The most common unregulated tryptamine was 4-AcO-DMT, for which no human studies exist. Unregulated tryptamines were more likely to contain a single unadulterated substance. The number of tryptamine samples increased over time, and there were significant differences between client expectations and actual analysis results for regulated versus unregulated groups. Further research is needed to address health risks.
The purity of iboga products sold online and by treatment providers is highly variable. Analysis of 16 samples—including root bark, total alkaloids, purified total alkaloids, and ibogaine hydrochloride—found ibogaine content ranging from 0.6% to 11.2% in root bark, 8.2% to 32.9% in total alkaloid products, 73.7% in one purified sample, and 61.5% to 73.4% in ibogaine hydrochloride samples. One sample contained no iboga alkaloids. Almost all samples also contained other alkaloids and unknown substances. The variability poses risks for correct dosing and potential adverse reactions or interactions.