Reconsidering Ibogaine for the treatment of severe mental illness and substance use disorders
Journal of Medicine Surgery and Public Health August 25, 2025 R. Andrew Yockey 2 citations
Ibogaine, a psychoactive compound from the Tabernanthe iboga plant, shows promise for easing withdrawal symptoms, reducing cravings, and improving psychiatric symptoms in people with severe mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders. However, safety concerns, especially heart function risks like QT interval prolongation and life-threatening arrhythmias, limit its clinical use. Key research priorities include large-scale randomized controlled trials with personalized dosing, safer synthetic alternatives, studies of its neurobiological effects, and tracking long-term outcomes to safely harness its potential.