Ibogaine is a

psychoactive A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, mind-altering drug, consciousness-altering drug, psychoactive substance, or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that alters psychological functioning by modulating central nervous system acti ...

indole alkaloid Indole alkaloids are a class of alkaloids containing a structural moiety of indole; many indole alkaloids also include isoprene groups and are thus called terpene indole or secologanin tryptamine alkaloids. Containing more than 4100 known differ ...

derived from plants such as ''

Tabernanthe iboga ''Tabernanthe'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1888. It is native to tropical central Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At a ...

'', characterized by

hallucinogenic Hallucinogens, also known as psychedelics, entheogens, or historically as psychotomimetics, are a large and diverse class of psychoactive drugs that can produce altered states of consciousness characterized by major alterations in thought, moo ...

and oneirogenic effects. Traditionally used by

Central African foragers The African Pygmies (or Congo Pygmies, variously also Central African foragers, African rainforest hunter-gatherers (RHG) or Forest People of Central Africa) are a group of ethnicities native to Central Africa, mostly the Congo Basin, tradit ...

, it has undergone controversial research for the treatment of

substance use disorders Substance use disorder (SUD) is the persistent use of drugs despite substantial harm and adverse consequences to self and others. Related terms include ''substance use problems'' and ''problematic drug or alcohol use''. Along with substance-ind ...

. Ibogaine exhibits complex

pharmacology Pharmacology is the science of drugs and medications, including a substance's origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, therapeutic use, and toxicology. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur betwee ...

by interacting with multiple

neurotransmitter A neurotransmitter is a signaling molecule secreted by a neuron to affect another cell across a Chemical synapse, synapse. The cell receiving the signal, or target cell, may be another neuron, but could also be a gland or muscle cell. Neurotra ...

systems, notably affecting

opioid Opioids are a class of Drug, drugs that derive from, or mimic, natural substances found in the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy plant. Opioids work on opioid receptors in the brain and other organs to produce a variety of morphine-like effects, ...

serotonin Serotonin (), also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a monoamine neurotransmitter with a wide range of functions in both the central nervous system (CNS) and also peripheral tissues. It is involved in mood, cognition, reward, learning, ...

sigma Sigma ( ; uppercase Σ, lowercase σ, lowercase in word-final position ς; ) is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 200. In general mathematics, uppercase Σ is used as an operator ...

, and

NMDA ''N''-methyl--aspartic acid, or ''N''-methyl--aspartate (NMDA), is an amino acid derivative that acts as a specific agonist at the NMDA receptor mimicking the action of glutamate, the neurotransmitter which normally acts at that receptor. Unl ...

receptors, while its metabolite

noribogaine Noribogaine (actually ''O''-desmethylibogaine), or 12-hydroxyibogamine, is the principal psychoactive metabolite of the oneirogen ibogaine. It is thought to be involved in the antiaddictive effects of ibogaine-containing plant extracts, such as ...

primarily acts as a

serotonin reuptake inhibitor A serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) is a type of drug which acts as a reuptake inhibitor of the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) by blocking the drug action, action of the serotonin transporter (SERT). This in turn lea ...

and

κ-opioid receptor The κ-opioid receptor or kappa opioid receptor, abbreviated KOR or KOP for its ligand ketazocine, is a G protein-coupled receptor that in humans is encoded by the ''OPRK1'' gene. The KOR is coupled to the G protein Gi/G0 and is one of four re ...

agonist An agonist is a chemical that activates a Receptor (biochemistry), receptor to produce a biological response. Receptors are Cell (biology), cellular proteins whose activation causes the cell to modify what it is currently doing. In contrast, an R ...

. The psychoactivity of the root bark of the iboga tree, ''T. iboga'', one of the plants from which ibogaine is

extract An extract (essence) is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol, oil or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures or absolutes or dried and powdered. The aromatic principles of ma ...

ed, was first discovered by

forager A forager is a person who collects edible plants or fungi for consumption. Urban foragers may collect in city parks, private lands, and sidewalks. Urban foraging has gained in popularity in the 21st century, as people share their knowledge, exper ...

tribes in Central Africa, who passed the knowledge to the

Bwiti Bwiti is a spiritual discipline of the forest-dwelling Punu people and Mitsogo peoples of Gabon (where it is recognized as one of three official religions) and by the Fang people of Gabon. Modern Bwiti incorporates animism, ancestor worship, an ...

tribe of

Gabon Gabon ( ; ), officially the Gabonese Republic (), is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and ...

. It was first documented in the 19th century for its spiritual use, later isolated and synthesized for its psychoactive properties, briefly marketed in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

as a

stimulant Stimulants (also known as central nervous system stimulants, or psychostimulants, or colloquially as uppers) are a class of drugs that increase alertness. They are used for various purposes, such as enhancing attention, motivation, cognition, ...

, and ultimately researched—and often controversial—for its potential in treating addiction despite being classified as a controlled substance. Ibogaine can be semisynthetically produced from

voacangine Voacangine (12-methoxyibogamine-18-carboxylic acid methyl ester) is an alkaloid found predominantly in the root bark of the ''Voacanga africana'' tree, as well as in other plants such as '' Tabernanthe iboga'', ''Tabernaemontana africana'', '' Tra ...

, with its

total synthesis Total synthesis, a specialized area within organic chemistry, focuses on constructing complex organic compounds, especially those found in nature, using laboratory methods. It often involves synthesizing natural products from basic, commercially ...

achieved in 1956 and its structure confirmed by

X-ray crystallography X-ray crystallography is the experimental science of determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal, in which the crystalline structure causes a beam of incident X-rays to Diffraction, diffract in specific directions. By measuring th ...

in 1960. Ibogaine has been studied for treating substance use disorders, especially

opioid addiction Opioids are a class of drugs that derive from, or mimic, natural substances found in the opium poppy plant. Opioids work on opioid receptors in the brain and other organs to produce a variety of morphine-like effects, including pain relief. Th ...

, by alleviating withdrawal symptoms and cravings, but its clinical use and development has been limited due to regulatory barriers and serious safety risks like

cardiotoxicity Cardiotoxicity is the occurrence of heart dysfunction as electric or muscle damage, resulting in heart toxicity. This can cause heart failure, arrhythmia, myocarditis, and cardiomyopathy in patients. Some effects are reversible, while in others, p ...

. A 2022

systematic review A systematic review is a scholarly synthesis of the evidence on a clearly presented topic using critical methods to identify, define and assess research on the topic. A systematic review extracts and interprets data from published studies on ...

suggested that ibogaine and noribogaine show promise in treating substance use disorders and

comorbid In medicine, comorbidity refers to the simultaneous presence of two or more medical conditions in a patient; often co-occurring (that is, concomitant or concurrent) with a primary condition. It originates from the Latin term (meaning "sicknes ...

depressive symptoms Depression is a mental state of low mood and aversion to activity. It affects about 3.5% of the global population, or about 280 million people worldwide, as of 2020. Depression affects a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings, and sense o ...

and

psychological trauma Psychological trauma (also known as mental trauma, psychiatric trauma, emotional damage, or psychotrauma) is an emotional response caused by severe distressing events, such as Major trauma, bodily injury, Sexual assault, sexual violence, or ot ...

but carry serious safety risks, necessitating rigorous clinical oversight. Ibogaine produces a two-phase experience—initially visionary and dream-like with vivid imagery and

altered perception An altered state of consciousness (ASC), also called an altered state of mind, altered mental status (AMS) or mind alteration, is any condition which is significantly different from a normal waking state. It describes induced changes in one's me ...

, followed by an introspective period marked by lingering side effects like

nausea Nausea is a diffuse sensation of unease and discomfort, sometimes perceived as an urge to vomit. It can be a debilitating symptom if prolonged and has been described as placing discomfort on the chest, abdomen, or back of the throat. Over 30 d ...

and mood disturbances, which may persist for days. Long-term risks include

mania Mania, also known as manic syndrome, is a Psychiatry, psychiatric Abnormality (behavior), behavioral syndrome defined as a state of Abnormality (behavior), abnormally elevated arousal, affect (psychology), affect, and energy level. During a mani ...

and heart issues such as

long QT syndrome Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a condition affecting repolarization (relaxing) of the heart after a heartbeat, giving rise to an abnormally lengthy QT interval. It results in an increased risk of an irregular heartbeat which can result in fainti ...

, and potential fatal interactions with other drugs. Ibogaine is federally illegal in the United States, but is used in treatment clinics abroad under legal gray areas, with growing media attention highlighting both its potential and risks in addiction therapy. It has inspired the development of non-hallucinogenic, non-cardiotoxic analogues like 18-MC and

tabernanthalog Tabernanthalog (TBG, DLX-007) is a novel water-soluble, non-toxic ibogalog or simplified analogue of the psychoactive drug tabernanthine first synthesized by David E. Olson at UC Davis. Tabernanthalog is a non-hallucinogenic serotonin 5-HT2A ...

for therapeutic use. In 2025, Texas allocated $50 million for

clinical research Clinical research is a branch of medical research that involves people and aims to determine the effectiveness (efficacy) and safety of medications, devices, diagnostic products, and treatment regimens intended for improving human health. The ...

on ibogaine to develop

FDA The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

-approved treatments for

opioid use disorder Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a substance use disorder characterized by cravings for opioids, continued use despite physical and/or psychological deterioration, increased tolerance with use, and withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing opioids. ...

, co-occurring substance use disorders, and other ibogaine-responsive conditions.

Psychoactive effects

Ibogaine is derived from the root of ''

'', a plant known to exhibit

psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary mental states (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips") and a perceived "expansion of consciousness". Also referred to as classic halluci ...

effects in its users. Ibogaine is administered orally at a typical dose of 3–30 mg/kg. Effects first become noticeable 1–3 hours after administration. The subjective effects of ibogaine consist of two phases, a ''visionary'' phase followed by an ''introspective'' phase. The ''visionary'' phase is a dreamlike, conscious state called oneirophrenia. Visual effects are almost always present and are often described as films or slideshows. These may be accompanied by increases in long-term recall of visual memory, resulting in autobiographical content. Other changes to sensation and perception may occur, including auditory hallucinations or distortions. Nausea and vomiting can be severe. Subjects may experience extreme confusion and/or a depressed mood. The ''visionary'' stage typically lasts 4–8 hours, but may last longer with especially high doses. The ''introspective'' is poorly defined, often simply as 24 or 36 hours post-treatment. Sensation and perception return to normal, but nausea, headaches, and other side effects linger. Insomnia, irritability, and mood changes are often seen, including depression and sometimes

. Depression can persist well after 36 hours, known as a "grey day"; the effect is well-recognized. A persistently low mood can progress into

major depressive disorder Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive depression (mood), low mood, low self-esteem, and anhedonia, loss of interest or pleasure in normally ...

, a chronic condition. For the treatment of opioid or alcohol addiction, the subjective experiences do not appear to be important, although they are correlated to some secondary measures (e.g. satisfaction in self-assessments).

Uses

Medical

Ibogaine has been studied for its potential medical use in treating substance use disorders, particularly opioid addiction, by reducing withdrawal symptoms and cravings, though its use and clinical development have been limited by regulatory restrictions and serious safety concerns including cardiac risks.

Adverse effects

Immediate adverse effects of ibogaine ingestion may include nausea, vomiting, tremors leading to

ataxia Ataxia (from Greek α- negative prefix+ -τάξις rder= "lack of order") is a neurological sign consisting of lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements that can include gait abnormality, speech changes, and abnormalities in e ...

, headaches, and mental confusion. In long-term use,

manic episodes Mania, also known as manic syndrome, is a psychiatric behavioral syndrome defined as a state of abnormally elevated arousal, affect, and energy level. During a manic episode, an individual will experience rapidly changing emotions and moods ...

may last for several days, possibly including

insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low ene ...

, irritability, emotional instability,

delusion A delusion is a fixed belief that is not amenable to change in light of conflicting evidence. As a pathology, it is distinct from a belief based on false or incomplete information, confabulation, dogma, illusion, hallucination, or some other m ...

s, aggressive behavior, and thoughts of

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

. In the heart, ibogaine causes

at higher doses, apparently by blocking

hERG hERG (the human '' Ether-à-go-go''-Related Gene) is a gene () that codes for a protein known as Kv11.1, the alpha subunit of a potassium ion channel. This ion channel (sometimes simply denoted as 'hERG') is best known for its contribution t ...

potassium channel Potassium channels are the most widely distributed type of ion channel found in virtually all organisms. They form potassium-selective pores that span cell membranes. Potassium channels are found in most cell types and control a wide variety of ...

s and slowing the

heart rate Heart rate is the frequency of the cardiac cycle, heartbeat measured by the number of contractions of the heart per minute (''beats per minute'', or bpm). The heart rate varies according to the body's Human body, physical needs, including the nee ...

. Ibogaine should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Ibogaine has potential for adverse interactions with other psychedelic agents and

prescription drug A prescription drug (also prescription medication, prescription medicine or prescription-only medication) is a pharmaceutical drug that is permitted to be dispensed only to those with a medical prescription. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs c ...

s. Death can occur, especially if consumed with opioids or in people with

comorbidities In medicine, comorbidity refers to the simultaneous presence of two or more medical conditions in a patient; often co-occurring (that is, concomitant or concurrent) with a primary condition. It originates from the Latin term (meaning "sickness" ...

such as

cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina, heart attack), heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, rheumati ...

neurological disorders Neurological disorders represent a complex array of medical conditions that fundamentally disrupt the functioning of the nervous system. These Disorder of consciousness, disorders affect the brain, spinal cord, and nerve networks, presenting unique ...

Neurotoxicity

Laboratory studies in rats indicate that high-dose ibogaine may cause degeneration of

cerebellar The cerebellum (: cerebella or cerebellums; Latin for 'little brain') is a major feature of the hindbrain of all vertebrates. Although usually smaller than the cerebrum, in some animals such as the mormyrid fishes it may be as large as it or e ...

Purkinje cells Purkinje cells or Purkinje neurons, named for Czech physiologist Jan Evangelista Purkyně who identified them in 1837, are a unique type of prominent, large neuron located in the cerebellar cortex of the brain. With their flask-shaped cell bo ...

. However, subsequent research found no evidence of

neurotoxicity Neurotoxicity is a form of toxicity in which a biological, chemical, or physical agent produces an adverse effect on the structure or function of the central and/or peripheral nervous system. It occurs when exposure to a substance – specifical ...

in a primate. In limited human research, neuropathological examination revealed no evidence of neuronal degenerative changes in an adult female patient who had received four separate doses of ibogaine ranging between 10 and 30 mg/kg over a 15-month interval. A published series of fatalities associated with ibogaine ingestion found no evidence for consistent neurotoxicity.

Pharmacology

Pharmacodynamics

Ibogaine affects many different

systems simultaneously and hence has complex

. The specific

target Target may refer to: Warfare and shooting * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artille ...

s mediating the effects of ibogaine are not fully clear. The drug is a cyclized

derivative In mathematics, the derivative is a fundamental tool that quantifies the sensitivity to change of a function's output with respect to its input. The derivative of a function of a single variable at a chosen input value, when it exists, is t ...

, and hence may be expected to have

serotonergic A serotonergic substance, medication, or receptor protein is one that affects neurotransmission pathways that involve serotonin, as follows: * Serotonergic drugs ** Serotonin receptor agonists ** Serotonin receptor antagonists ** Serotonin reupta ...

actions, but shows relatively low

affinity Affinity may refer to: Commerce, finance and law * Affinity (law), kinship by marriage * Affinity analysis, a market research and business management technique * Affinity Credit Union, a Saskatchewan-based credit union * Affinity Equity Pa ...

for

serotonin receptor 5-HT receptors, 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors, or serotonin receptors, are a group of G protein-coupled receptor and ligand-gated ion channels found in multiple tissues including the central and peripheral nervous systems. They mediate both ex ...

s. In any case, it appears that the serotonin 5-HT_2A, 5-HT_2C,

σ₂, and μ- and/or

s are involved in the subjective effects of ibogaine based on

animal studies Animal studies is a recently recognised field in which animals are studied in a variety of cross-disciplinary ways. Scholars who engage in animal studies may be formally trained in a number of diverse fields, including art history, anthropology ...

. Conversely, the

, serotonin 5-HT_1A and 5-HT₃, and sigma σ₁ receptors do not appear to be involved. Noribogaine is most potent as a

. It acts as a moderate

agonist and weak

μ-opioid receptor The μ-opioid receptors (MOR) are a class of opioid receptors with a high affinity for enkephalins and beta-endorphin, but a low affinity for dynorphins. They are also referred to as μ(''mu'')-opioid peptide (MOP) receptors. The prototypical ...

agonist or weak partial agonist. It is possible that the action of ibogaine at the kappa opioid receptor may indeed contribute significantly to the psychoactive effects attributed to ibogaine ingestion; ''

Salvia divinorum ''Salvia divinorum'' (; also called ska maría pastora, seer's sage, yerba de la pastora, magic mint or simply salvia) is a species of plant in the sage genus ''Salvia'', known for its transient psychoactive properties when its leaves, or e ...

'', another plant recognized for its strong hallucinogenic properties, contains the chemical

salvinorin A Salvinorin A is the main active psychotropic molecule in '' Salvia divinorum''. Salvinorin A is considered an atypical dissociative hallucinogen. It is structurally distinct from other naturally occurring hallucinogens (such as DMT, psil ...

, which is a highly selective kappa opioid agonist. Noribogaine is more potent than ibogaine in rat drug discrimination assays when tested for the subjective effects of ibogaine. There has been uncertainty about which

biological target A biological target is anything within a living organism to which some other entity (like an endogenous ligand or a drug) is directed and/or binds, resulting in a change in its behavior or function. Examples of common classes of biological targets ...

interactions mediate the

and other effects of ibogaine. Rodent

drug discrimination Drug discrimination (DD) is a technique in behavioral neuroscience used to evaluate the discriminative stimulus properties or interoceptive cues of psychoactive drugs. In drug discrimination, a subject is trained on a training drug, and then i ...

studies with ibogaine have been employed to help elucidate these interactions. Ibogaine partially substitutes for the

serotonergic psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary mental states (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips") and a perceived "expansion of consciousness". Also referred to as classic halluci ...

LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD (from German ; often referred to as acid or lucy), is a semisynthetic, hallucinogenic compound derived from ergot, known for its powerful psychological effects and serotonergic activity. I ...

and DOM and this can be blocked by the serotonin 5-HT₂ receptor

antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.pizotifen Pizotifen, also known as pizotyline and sold under the brand names Sandomigran and Mosegor among others, is an antimigraine agent of the tricyclic group which is used primarily as a preventative to reduce the frequency of recurrent migraine h ...

. Similarly, LSD and DOM partially substitute for ibogaine and this can be blocked by the serotonin 5-HT_2A receptor antagonist pirenperone. The

serotonin releasing agent A serotonin releasing agent (SRA) is a type of drug that induces the release of serotonin into the neuronal synaptic cleft. A selective serotonin releasing agent (SSRA) is an SRA with less significant or no efficacy in producing neurotransmitter ...

and potent serotonin 5-HT₂ receptor agonist

fenfluramine Fenfluramine, sold under the brand name Fintepla, is a serotonergic medication used for the treatment of seizures associated with Dravet syndrome and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome. It was formerly used as an appetite suppressant in the treat ...

also partially substitutes for ibogaine. The preferential serotonin 5-HT_2C receptor agonists MK-212 and mCPP partially substitute for ibogaine as well and this can be blocked by the serotonin 5-HT₂ receptor antagonist

metergoline Metergoline (, ), also known as methergoline and sold under the brand names Contralac (veterinary) and Liserdol (clinical), is a monoaminergic medication of the ergoline group which is used as a prolactin inhibitor in the treatment of hyperprola ...

. The preceding findings suggest that serotonin 5-HT_2A and 5-HT_2C receptor activation are involved in the subjective effects of ibogaine. This is supported by findings of ''

in vivo Studies that are ''in vivo'' (Latin for "within the living"; often not italicized in English) are those in which the effects of various biological entities are tested on whole, living organisms or cells, usually animals, including humans, an ...

occupancy {{Short pages monitor Oneirogens Phenol ethers Plant toxins Psychedelic drugs Hallucinogens Serotonin receptor agonists Sigma agonists VMAT inhibitors