The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
January 1, 2019
Alan K. Davis, Sara So, Rafael Lancelotta et al.
141 citations
Among people who used 5-MeO-DMT in a structured group setting with guided dosing and support, 80% of those previously diagnosed with depression and 79% of those previously diagnosed with anxiety reported their condition improved after use. Only 3% with depression and 2% with anxiety said their condition worsened. Greater improvement was linked to more intense mystical experiences and higher ratings of the experience's spiritual significance and personal meaning, but not to the intensity of challenging physical or psychological effects. The findings suggest potential therapeutic benefits, warranting controlled clinical trials.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
July 1, 2018
Alan K. Davis, Joseph P Barsuglia, Rafael Lancelotta et al.
137 citations
A survey of 515 adults who use 5-MeO-DMT found that consumption is infrequent and associated with profound positive subjective effects, including perceived spiritual and personal growth. Motivations for use were primarily spiritual and recreational, and many respondents reported perceived benefits consistent with potential psychotherapeutic effects. The study provides initial epidemiological data on usage patterns and subjective experiences with this psychoactive tryptamine.
Chronic Stress
August 12, 2020
Alan K. Davis, Lynnette A. Averill, Nathan D. Sepeda et al.
83 citations
Among U.S. Special Operations Forces Veterans who completed a psychedelic treatment program with ibogaine and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine in Mexico between 2017 and 2019, retrospective reports showed very large reductions in suicidal ideation, cognitive impairment, PTSD symptoms, depression, and anxiety from 30 days before to 30 days after treatment, along with a large increase in psychological flexibility. Increased psychological flexibility was strongly linked to reduced cognitive impairment and mental health symptoms. Most participants rated the experience among the top five most personally meaningful, spiritually significant, and psychologically insightful experiences of their lives. The findings are preliminary due to the retrospective, self-report, non-randomized design.
Frontiers in Psychology
December 6, 2018
Rafael Lancelotta, Austin-Marley Windham-Herman, Kristel Peterson et al.
80 citations
Vaporized 5-MeO-DMT, a psychoactive substance from the Colorado River Toad, reliably produced strong mystical experiences in 20 individuals at a psychospiritual retreat. Participants received 50 mg of inhaled bufotoxin and completed the Mystical Experience Questionnaire. The average intensity was 4.17 out of 5, and 75% had a complete mystical experience. Compared to a prior psilocybin study, 5-MeO-DMT matched the intensity of a high dose (30 mg/70 kg) of psilocybin and significantly exceeded a moderate/high dose (20 mg/70 kg). The short duration may benefit clinical interventions and research on mystical-type experiences.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2018
Benjamin Malcolm, Martin Polanco, Joseph P Barsuglia
64 citations
Ibogaine, a plant-derived compound, reduces opioid withdrawal and craving during detoxification. In 50 participants with opioid use disorder undergoing a week-long ibogaine treatment protocol, withdrawal and craving scores were significantly lower 48 hours after administration compared to baseline. At that point, 78% showed no objective clinical signs of opioid withdrawal, 79% reported minimal cravings, and 68% reported only mild subjective withdrawal symptoms. The findings suggest ibogaine can facilitate opioid detoxification by easing withdrawal and craving, but controlled trials are needed to confirm these results.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
November 1, 2017
Alan K. Davis, Joseph P Barsuglia, Austin-Marley Windham-Herman et al.
60 citations
A survey of 88 patients who received ibogaine treatment in Mexico between 2012 and 2015 found that most (80%) reported the drug eliminated or drastically reduced withdrawal symptoms, and half said it reduced opioid craving, with some reporting that reduction lasting at least three months. Thirty percent never used opioids again after treatment, and over half of those abstainers had been abstinent for at least one year. Although 70% relapsed, 48% decreased use from pretreatment levels and an additional 11% eventually achieved abstinence. Treatment responders had lower rates of depressive and anxious symptoms and higher well-being. The results suggest ibogaine is associated with reductions in opioid use and improved psychological outcomes.
Progress in Brain Research
January 1, 2018
Joseph P Barsuglia, Martin Polanco, Robert Palmer et al.
37 citations
A 31-year-old male military veteran with moderate alcohol use disorder received sequential treatment with ibogaine hydrochloride (1550mg, 17.9mg/kg) on day 1 and vaporized 5-MeO-DMT (bufotoxin source 50mg, estimated 5-7mg) on day 3 at an inpatient clinic in Mexico. SPECT neuroimaging before and 3 days after treatment showed increased brain perfusion in bilateral caudate nuclei, left putamen, right insula, and temporal, occipital, and cerebellar regions. The patient reported improved mood, cessation of alcohol use, and reduced cravings at 5 days, sustained at 1 month, with partial return to mild alcohol use at 2 months. The findings suggest short-term therapeutic outcomes and warrant further investigation.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2018
Alan K. Davis, Elise Renn, Austin-Marley Windham-Herman et al.
34 citations
Most people who underwent ibogaine detoxification for chronic opioid use reported lasting positive changes, including enhanced gratitude, authenticity, and appreciation for life. Those who responded well to treatment showed greater improvements in tolerating difficult feelings, coping with stress, reduced unhealthy anger, and increased inner peace, joy, love, and a sense of sacredness in life. They also reported heightened spiritual awareness and stronger connections in relationships. Challenges included psychological and health difficulties during treatment and problems with post-treatment integration. The findings point to the need for more integration and aftercare resources. Further rigorous experimental research is needed.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
June 1, 2018
Thaddeus James Camlin, Donald Eulert, A. Thomas Horvath et al.
21 citations
People who took ibogaine for opioid use disorder reported a powerful experience that reduced withdrawal and craving and led to a more optimistic outlook on self and life. Participants described subjective neurological and physical effects, auditory and visual phenomena, and shifts in their perspective. The treatment attenuates opioid withdrawal and produces a subjectively intense physiological, emotional, and psychological experience.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
November 23, 2023
Anya Ragnhildstveit, Ryan Khan, Paul Seli et al.
17 citations
A single dose of vaporized bufotoxin from the Sonoran Desert Toad, containing an estimated 10-15 mg of 5-MeO-DMT, produced clinically significant improvements in chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD in a 23-year-old female. Next-day effects included marked reductions in hopelessness and suicide risk, with improvements sustained at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. The subject reported a complete mystical experience, which may underlie the therapeutic activity. No serious adverse events occurred, but acute nausea, overwhelming subjective effects, and late-onset night terrors were reported. Results suggest 5-MeO-DMT is generally tolerable and effective for PTSD, though the findings are non-generalizable and rely on methods not clinically accepted.
Research Square
June 17, 2026
Martijn Arns, Kenneth Shinozuka, Joseph P Barsuglia
Ibogaine, a substance showing early promise for treating substance use disorders and PTSD in veterans, carries a risk of cardiac arrhythmia and death. A retrospective multisite study of 19,071 patients treated under safety guidelines at 11 international clinics found that all six deaths occurring within 72 hours were among patients treated for opioid use disorder (6 out of 10,382), with no deaths among 8,689 non-SUD patients. A systematic review of ibogaine-associated fatalities mirrored this pattern: 41 of 44 fatalities with known indication involved substance use disorder, predominantly opioid detoxification. The findings indicate that ibogaine-associated mortality is largely confined to opioid detoxification and rare in non-SUD indications.