Comparative neurobiological effects of ibogaine and MK-801 in rats.
Michael H. Baumann, Richard B Rothman, S F Ali
Drug and Alcohol Dependence May 1, 2000 DOI: 10.1016/s0376-8716(99)00113-1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled laboratory experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Male rats |
| Interventions | Ibogaine MK-801 |
| Dose | 10 and 100 mg/kg ibogaine, 0.1 and 1 mg/kg MK-801 |
| Duration | 30 or 60 min after injection |
| Topics | Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Plant compound Anti-addiction compound Therapeutic compound Neuropharmacology Brain chemistry Drug mechanisms Neurochemistry Psychopharmacology Addiction treatment Substance abuse therapy Drug dependence treatment Neuroendocrine effects Brain chemicals Neurochemicals Endocrine system Neurohormonal |
| Citations | 15 |
| Key findings | Ibogaine's effects on dopamine metabolism and neuroendocrine secretion are not fully mimicked by MK-801, indicating its actions cannot be explained solely by NMDA receptor antagonism. |
Abstract
Ibogaine is a plant-derived alkaloid with putative 'anti-addictive' properties. Although ibogaine binds to multiple targets in the brain, recent evidence suggests the drug acts as an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist similar to MK-801. The purpose of the present study was to compare neurochemical and neuroendocrine effects of ibogaine and MK-801 in vivo. Male rats received either i.p. saline, ibogaine (10 and 100 mg/kg), or MK-801 (0.1 and 1 mg/kg). Groups of rats (N=6-8/group) were decapitated 30 or 60 min after injection. Brains were harvested for analysis of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites, while trunk blood was collected for analysis of plasma corticosterone and prolactin. Ibogaine produced marked dose-dependent reductions in tissue DA with concurrent increases in the metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA). This profile of ibogaine-induced effects on DA metabolism was consistently observed in the cortex, striatum, olfactory tubercle, and hypothalamus. MK-801, on the other hand, did not reduce DA levels in any brain region but did cause modest region-specific elevations in DA metabolites. Ibogaine and MK-801 caused comparable elevations in circulating corticosterone, but only ibogaine increased prolactin. The present findings show that the effects of ibogaine on DA neurotransmission and neuroendocrine secretion are not fully mimicked by MK-801. Thus, the wide spectrum of in vivo actions of ibogaine can probably not be explained simply on the basis of antagonism at NMDA receptors.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on ibogaine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noncompetitive Functional Inhibition at Diverse, Human Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subtypes by Bupropion, Phencyclidine, and Ibogaine TE671/RD cells (human muscle-type nAChR) and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells (human... | 1999 | In vitro study | |
| Degeneration of Purkinje cells in parasagittal zones of the cerebellar vermis after treatment with ibogaine or harmaline. Ibogaine- or harmaline-treated rats | 1993 | Experimental animal study | |
| Effects and aftereffects of ibogaine on morphine self-administration in rats. Rats | 1991 | Preclinical experimental study | |
| Effects of iboga alkaloids on morphine and cocaine self-administration in rats: relationship to tremorigenic effects and to effects on dopamine release in nucleus accumbens and striatum. Rats | 1994 | Experimental study | |
| Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Mediates the Desirable Actions of the Anti-Addiction Drug Ibogaine against Alcohol Consumption Rats | 2005 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Unique and potent effects of acute ibogaine on zebrafish: the developing utility of novel aquatic models for hallucinogenic drug research. Behavioural Brain Research 2013
- 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
- IUPHAR - invited review - Ibogaine - A legacy within the current renaissance of psychedelic therapy. Pharmacological Research April 1, 2023
- Noribogaine (12-hydroxyibogamine): a biologically active metabolite of the antiaddictive drug ibogaine. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences September 1, 2000
- Acute ibogaine injection induces expression of the immediate early genes, egr-1 and c-fos, in mouse brain. Brain research. Molecular brain research December 10, 1999
and 1 more in the library
Cites 25
- Effects and aftereffects of ibogaine on morphine self-administration in rats. European Journal of Pharmacology April 3, 1991
- Effects of iboga alkaloids on morphine and cocaine self-administration in rats: relationship to tremorigenic effects and to effects on dopamine release in nucleus accumbens and striatum. Brain Research September 19, 1994
- Inhibitory effects of ibogaine on cocaine self-administration in rats. European Journal of Pharmacology September 14, 1993
- A preliminary investigation of ibogaine: case reports and recommendations for further study. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 1994
- Ibogaine possesses a selective affinity for sigma 2 receptors. Life Sciences 1995
and 20 more in the library