Iboga, known as 'sacred wood,' is a plant used in Gabonese spiritual and medicinal rituals like bwiti and mumbwiri, where its powdered form enables transcendence between physical and invisible worlds. While Marc Kaba's 'Voie sacrée' describes its psychological, social, and spiritual virtues, medical science—through the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)—began prescribing ibogaine, an alkaloid from the plant, for drug dependency treatment in humans in the early 1990s. This highlights iboga as a national heritage that benefits modern medicine, with ibogaine attracting international attention for treating addiction, particularly to opioids and other substances.
Iboga, known as 'sacred wood,' is an endogenous knowledge used in Gabonese spiritual and medicinal rituals like bwiti and mumbwiri. Consumed in powdered form during initiation ceremonies, it enables transcendence between physical and invisible worlds. Marc Kaba's 'Voie sacrée' narrates its psychological, social, and spiritual virtues, while medical science through the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) began prescribing its substance ibogaine for drug dependency treatment in the early 1990s. This national heritage is an asset to modern medicine, as ibogaine has attracted international attention for treating addiction, particularly opioid addiction.