Treatment of acute opioid withdrawal with ibogaine.
Kenneth Alper, Howard S. Lotsof, Geerte M. N. Frenken, D J Luciano, Jan Bastiaans
American Journal on Addictions 1999 DOI: 10.1080/105504999305848 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series Open-label Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 33 |
| Population | Patients undergoing opioid detoxification with ibogaine in non-medical settings |
| Intervention | Ibogaine |
| Duration | 72-hour posttreatment observation |
| Topics | Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Acute withdrawal signs Heroin rapid detoxification Significant relief Rapidly mitigate Promising capacity |
| Citations | 201 |
| Key findings | Ibogaine resolved opioid withdrawal signs and drug-seeking behavior within 24 hours in 25 of 33 cases, sustained over 72 hours. |
Abstract
Ibogaine is an alkaloid with putative effect in acute opioid withdrawal. Thirty-three cases of treatments for the indication of opioid detoxification performed in non-medical settings under open label conditions are summarized involving an average daily use of heroin of .64 +/- .50 grams, primarily by the intravenous route. Resolution of the signs of opioid withdrawal without further drug seeking behavior was observed within 24 hours in 25 patients and was sustained throughout the 72-hour period of posttreatment observation. Other outcomes included drug seeking behavior without withdrawal signs (4 patients), drug abstinence with attenuated withdrawal signs (2 patients), drug seeking behavior with continued withdrawal signs (1 patient), and one fatality possibly involving surreptitious heroin use. The reported effectiveness of ibogaine in this series suggests the need for systematic investigation in a conventional clinical research setting.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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State of the evidence: Ibogaine Supports
Resolution of opioid withdrawal without further drug seeking occurred within 24 hours in 25 of 33 patients and was sustained over 72 hours, with one fatality possibly involving surreptitious heroin use.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on ibogaine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A preliminary investigation of ibogaine: case reports and recommendations for further study. Individuals addicted to opiates | 1994 | Case series | n = 7 |
| Long-QT Syndrome Induced by the Antiaddiction Drug Ibogaine A 31-year-old woman | 2009 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Distribution of ibogaine and noribogaine in a man following a poisoning involving root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub. 48-year-old Caucasian male with a history of drug abuse who died after ingesting... | 2006 | Case study | n = 1 |
| A case report SPECT study and theoretical rationale for the sequential administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. 31-year-old male military veteran with moderate alcohol use disorder | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Remission of Severe Opioid Use Disorder with Ibogaine: A Case Report. 37-year-old female with severe opioid use disorder | 2016 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 120
- Peak experiences and the afterglow phenomenon: When and how do therapeutic effects of hallucinogens depend on psychedelic experiences? Journal of Psychopharmacology February 9, 2015
- Clinical applications of hallucinogens: A review. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology August 1, 2016
- The ibogaine medical subculture. Journal of Ethnopharmacology January 4, 2008
- Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Mediates the Desirable Actions of the Anti-Addiction Drug Ibogaine against Alcohol Consumption Journal of Neuroscience January 19, 2005
- Treatment of opioid use disorder with ibogaine: detoxification and drug use outcomes. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 2018
and 115 more in the library
Cites 18
- 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
- Effects of ibogaine on acute signs of morphine withdrawal in rats: independence from tremor. Neuropharmacology May 1, 1992
and 13 more in the library