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Deborah C. Mash

30 papers in the library · 1,411 citations · publishing 1995-2025

Papers

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A lexicon for psychedelic research and treatment

Drug Science Policy and Law September 1, 2025 David Nutt, David Erritzøe, Anne Katrin Schlag et al. 9 citations

Psychedelics are undergoing a clinical research renaissance, with compounds such as psilocybin advancing to Phase 3 trials for treatment-resistant depression and receiving fast-track or breakthrough designations from regulatory agencies. Despite this progress, the field lacks standardized terminology to guide clinical development, dosing, safety monitoring, and regulatory classification. Here,...

Ibogaine and Noribogaine

The Oxford Handbook of Opioids and Opioid Use Disorder December 18, 2023 Deborah C. Mash, Michael Karukin

Abstract Ibogaine is an indole alkaloid derived from the root bark of Tabernanthe iboga. The anti-addictive actions of ibogaine were first reported in the 1960s by persons using heroin. They offered personal testimonials that single oral doses of ibogaine abruptly blocked opioid withdrawal, and they remained drug-free after ibogaine exposure. Today, online forums describe ibogaine use for...

IUPHAR - invited review - Ibogaine - A legacy within the current renaissance of psychedelic therapy.

Pharmacological Research April 1, 2023 Deborah C. Mash 37 citations

Ibogaine is a powerful psychoactive substance that not only alters perception, mood and affect, but also stops addictive behaviors. Ibogaine has a very long history of ethnobotanical use in low doses to combat fatigue, hunger and thirst and, in high doses as a sacrament in African ritual contexts. In the 1960's, American and European self-help groups provided public testimonials that a single...

Ibogaine: Ibogaine therapy as a method of care treatment for opioid dependence

Psychedelics as Psychiatric Medications March 1, 2023 Deborah C. Mash 1 citation

Abstract Ibogaine has been used as a botanical preparation from the root bark of Tabernanthe iboga for over one hundred years, both as a crude preparation and as semisynthetic ibogaine. Extracts derived from this plant have a long history of traditional medicinal and ceremonial use in Western Africa. Ibogaine is a polypharmacology drug that acts on several neurotransmitter systems, including...

Structure-Activity Relationships of Dopamine Transporter Pharmacological Chaperones.

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 2022 Charles Sutton, Erin Q Williams, Hoomam Homsi et al. 13 citations

Mutations in the dopamine transporter gene (SLC6A3) have been implicated in many human diseases. Among these is the infantile parkinsonism-dystonia known as Dopamine Transporter Deficiency Syndrome (DTDS). Afflicted individuals have minimal to no functional dopamine transporter protein. This is primarily due to retention of misfolded disease-causing dopamine transporter variants. This results...

Evaluating the toxicity and therapeutic potential of ibogaine in the treatment of chronic opioid abuse

Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism & Toxicology June 18, 2021 M. Luz, D. Mash 30 citations

Ibogaine is a psychoactive indole alkaloid isolated from the West African shrub Tabernanthe iboga. It has been used by indigenous cultures to combat fatigue, hunger, and thirst, and to induce hallucinations during religious ceremonies. First isolated in 1901, ibogaine was initially recommended for use in asthenia at doses of 10 to 30 mg per day [1,2]. Semi-synthetic ibogaine came into use in...

Ibogaine Detoxification Transitions Opioid and Cocaine Abusers Between Dependence and Abstinence: Clinical Observations and Treatment Outcomes.

Frontiers in Pharmacology 2018 Deborah C. Mash, Linda Duque, Bryan Page et al. 109 citations

Ibogaine may be effective for transitioning opioid and cocaine dependent individuals to sobriety. American and European self-help groups provided public testimonials that ibogaine alleviated drug craving and opioid withdrawal symptoms after only a single dose administration. Preclinical studies in animal models of addiction have provided proof-of-concept evidence in support of these claims....

Oral noribogaine shows high brain uptake and anti-withdrawal effects not associated with place preference in rodents.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) July 1, 2016 Deborah C. Mash, Barbara Ameer, Delphine Prou et al. 29 citations

This study investigated the effects of noribogaine, the principal metabolite of the drug ibogaine, on substance-related disorders. In the first experiment, mice chronically treated with morphine were subjected to naloxone-precipitated withdrawal two hours after oral administration of noribogaine. Oral noribogaine dose dependently decreased the global opiate withdrawal score by up to 88% of...

Noribogaine is a G-protein biased κ-opioid receptor agonist.

Neuropharmacology December 1, 2015 Émeline L. Maillet, Nicolas Milon, Mari D. Heghinian et al. 59 citations

Noribogaine is the long-lived human metabolite of the anti-addictive substance ibogaine. Noribogaine efficaciously reaches the brain with concentrations up to 20 μM after acute therapeutic dose of 40 mg/kg ibogaine in animals. Noribogaine displays atypical opioid-like components in vivo, anti-addictive effects and potent modulatory properties of the tolerance to opiates for which the mode of...

Noribogaine reduces nicotine self-administration in rats.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) June 1, 2015 Qing Chang, Taleen Hanania, Deborah C. Mash et al. 26 citations

Noribogaine, a polypharmacological drug with activities at opioid receptors, ionotropic nicotinic receptors, and serotonin reuptake transporters, has been investigated for treatment of substance abuse-related disorders. Smoking cessation has major benefits for both individuals and society, therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of noribogaine for use as a treatment for...

Noribogaine is a Mixed Agonist/Antagonist Opioid Ligand with Profound Functional Selectivity

The FASEB Journal April 1, 2015 Émeline L. Maillet, Nicolas Milon, James A. Fishback et al. 1 citation

Noribogaine is the primary metabolite of the anti‐addictive substance ibogaine, which modulates opiate analgesic activity and the components of drug addiction in animal models at brain concentrations of 0.5‐15 µM. In this study, molecular activities of noribogaine at mu (OPRM) and kappa (OPRK) opioid receptors were characterized. Noribogaine was a moderately potent antagonist of the OPRM...

Characterization of Noribogaine at nAChRs and Effect on Nicotine Self‐Administration in Rats

The FASEB Journal April 1, 2015 Émeline L. Maillet, Qing Chang, Nicolas Milon et al.

Noribogaine, a polypharmacological drug with activities at opioid receptors, ionotropic nicotinic receptors, and serotonin reuptake transporters, is being investigated for treatment of substance abuse‐related disorders. In this study, noribogaine molecular activity at neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) was characterized. Noribogaine inhibited α3β4, α7 nAChRs, and endogenously...

MDMA self‐administration in rats: acquisition, progressive ratio responding and serotonin transporter binding

European Journal of Neuroscience November 16, 2007 Susan Schenk, Lincoln S. Hely, Barbara Lake et al. 113 citations

Abstract 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) self‐administration has been shown in animals with extensive drug histories, but only a small number of studies have examined high rates of responding maintained by MDMA in previously drug‐naïve animals. In the present study, influence of dose (0.25 or 1.0 mg/kg/infusion) on the acquisition of MDMA self‐administration was measured during daily...

Nature-inspired indolyl-2-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene derivatives as promising agents for the attenuation of withdrawal symptoms: synthesis of 20-desethyl-20-hydroxymethyl-11-demethoxyibogaine.

Natural Product Research July 10, 2006 Daniele Passarella, A Barilli, Simon M. N. Efange et al. 4 citations

Microwave assisted Diels-Alder cycloaddition of 5-Br-N-benzylpyridinone (2) with methyl acrylate is described to gain an easy access to 7-bromo-2-benzyl-3-oxo-2-aza-5 or 6-carbomethoxy bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-enes (3)-(6). The preparation of the ibogaine analogue 20-desethyl-(20-endo)-hydroxymethyl-11-demethoxyibogaine (17) is described by stereoselective hydrogenation of the C(7)-C(8) double bond....

Ibogaine analogues. Synthesis and preliminary pharmacological evaluation of 7-heteroaryl-2-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-enes.

Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry March 20, 2003 Daniele Passarella, Raffaele Favia, Alessandra Giardini et al. 23 citations

Synthesis of 7-heteroaryl-2-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-enes by cycloaddition and subsequent cross-coupling reaction is described. Binding affinity of these novel compounds towards the characteristic receptorial targets of ibogaine is illustrated.

In Vivo Neurobiological Effects of Ibogaine and Its O-Desmethyl Metabolite, 12-Hydroxyibogamine (Noribogaine), in Rats

Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics May 1, 2001 Michael H. Baumann, Richard B Rothman, John Pablo et al. 69 citations

Ibogaine is a naturally occurring compound with purported antiaddictive properties. When administered to primates, ibogaine is rapidly o-demethylated to form the metabolite 12-hydroxyibogamine (noribogaine). Peak blood levels of noribogaine exceed those of ibogaine, and noribogaine persists in the bloodstream for at least 1 day. Very few studies have systematically evaluated the neurobiological...

Ibogaine: complex pharmacokinetics, concerns for safety, and preliminary efficacy measures.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences September 1, 2000 Deborah C. Mash, Craig A. Kovera, John Pablo et al. 146 citations

Ibogaine is an indole alkaloid found in the roots of Tabernanthe Iboga (Apocynaceae family), a rain forest shrub that is native to western Africa. Ibogaine is used by indigenous peoples in low doses to combat fatigue, hunger and thirst, and in higher doses as a sacrament in religious rituals. Members of American and European addict self-help groups have claimed that ibogaine promotes long-term...

Noribogaine (12-hydroxyibogamine): a biologically active metabolite of the antiaddictive drug ibogaine.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences September 1, 2000 Michael H. Baumann, John Pablo, S F Ali et al. 37 citations

Ibogaine (IBO) is a plant-derived alkaloid that is being evaluated as a possible medication for substance use disorders. When administered peripherally to monkeys and humans, IBO is rapidly converted to an o-demethylated metabolite, 12-hydroxyibogamine (NORIBO). We have found in rats that peak blood levels of NORIBO can exceed those of the parent compound, and NORIBO persists in the bloodstream...

Noribogaine generalization to the ibogaine stimulus: correlation with noribogaine concentration in rat brain.

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology July 1, 1999 C Zubaran, M Shoaib, I P Stolerman et al. 31 citations

The discriminative stimulus effects of ibogaine and noribogaine in rats have been examined in relation to their concentrations in blood plasma and brain regions and to receptor systems through which they have been proposed to act. Rats were trained to discriminate ibogaine (10 mg/kg i.p.), the NMDA antagonist dizocilpine (0.08 mg/kg i.p.) or the kappa-opioid agonist U50,488 (5 mg/kg i.p.) from...

Pharmacokinetics of Hoasca alkaloids in healthy humans.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology June 1, 1999 James C. Callaway, Dennis J. Mckenna, C S Grob et al.

N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine (THH) are the characteristic alkaloids found in Amazonian sacraments known as hoasca, ayahuasca, and yajè. Such beverages are characterized by the presence of these three harmala alkaloids, where harmine and harmaline reversibly inhibit monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) while tetrahydroharmine weakly inhibits the uptake of...

ChemInform Abstract: Modified Ibogaine Fragments: Synthesis and Preliminary Pharmacological Characterization of 3‐Ethyl‐5‐phenyl‐1,2,3,4,5,6‐hexahydroazepino[4,5‐b]benzothiophenes.

ChemInform March 23, 1999 Simon M. N. Efange, Deborah C. Mash, Anil B. Khare et al.

Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

Modified ibogaine fragments: synthesis and preliminary pharmacological characterization of 3-ethyl-5-phenyl-1,2,3,4,5, 6-hexahydroazepino[4,5-b]benzothiophenes.

Journal of Medicinal Chemistry November 5, 1998 Simon M. N. Efange, Deborah C. Mash, A B Khare et al. 33 citations

Five phenyl-substituted derivatives and analogues of 1,2,3,4,5, 6-hexahydroazepino[4,5-b]indole, 5, a major fragment of ibogaine (1), were synthesized and tested for binding to monoamine transporters, the NMDA receptor-coupled cation channel, and dopamine and opioid receptors. All five derivatives, 9 and 17a-d, displayed 8-10-fold higher affinity at the DA transporter than ibogaine and...

Medication Development of Ibogaine as a Pharmacotherapy for Drug Dependencea.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences May 1, 1998 Deborah C. Mash, Craig A. Kovera, Billy E Buck et al. 111 citations

The potential for deriving new psychotherapeutic medications from natural sources has led to renewed interest in rain forest plants as a source of lead compounds for the development of antiaddiction medications. Ibogaine is an indole alkaloid found in the roots of Tabernanthe iboga (Apocynaceae family), a rain forest shrub that is native to equatorial Africa. Ibogaine is used by indigenous...

Noribogaine stimulates naloxone-sensitive [35S]GTPgammaS binding.

Neuroreport January 5, 1998 John Pablo, Deborah C. Mash 27 citations

Noribogaine is formed in vivo by the O-demethylation of the indole alkaloid ibogaine. We report here that noribogaine acts as a full agonist at the mu-opioid receptor. Noribogaine-stimulated guanylyl 5'gamma-[35S]thio]triphosphate ([35S]GTPgammaS) was studied in rat thalamic membranes to measure activation of guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G-proteins) in the presence of excess GDP....