A narrative review of the pharmacological, cultural and psychological literature on ibogaine
Martie S. Underwood, Stephen Bright, B. Les Lancaster
Journal of Psychedelic Studies 2021 DOI: 10.1556/2054.2021.00152 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Narrative review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Addiction treatment Psychedelic medicine Ibogaine therapy Neuroscience research Substance abuse recovery |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key findings | The ibogaine state of consciousness presents characteristics consistent with holotropic states, not REM sleep or oneirophrenia, and future research should explore this classification. |
Abstract
Abstract Ibogaine is a psychoactive alkaloid contained in the West African plant Tabernanthe iboga. Although preliminary, evidence suggests that ibogaine could be effective in the treatment of certain substance use disorders, specifically opioid use disorder. This narrative review concentrated on the pharmacological, cultural and psychological aspects of ibogaine that contribute to its reputed effectiveness with a specific focus on the ibogaine state of consciousness. Although the exact pharmacological mechanisms for ibogaine are still speculative, the literature highlighted its role as an NMDA antagonist in the effective treatment of substance use disorders. The cultural aspects associated with the use of ibogaine pose questions around the worldview of participants as experienced in the traditional and western contexts, which future research should clarify. From a psychological perspective, the theory that the ibogaine state of consciousness resembles REM sleep is questionable due to evidence that indicated ibogaine supressed REM sleep, and contradictory evidence in relation to learning and memory. The suggested classification of the ibogaine experience as oneirophrenic also seems inadequate as it only describes the first phase of the ibogaine experience. The ibogaine experience does however present characteristics consistent with holotropic states of consciousness, and future research could focus on exploring and potentially classifying the state of consciousness induced by ibogaine as holotropic
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ibogaine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelics as medicines for substance abuse rehabilitation: evaluating treatments with LSD, Peyote, Ibogaine and Ayahuasca. | 2014 | Review | |
| The Anti-Addiction Drug Ibogaine and the Heart: A Delicate Relation Humans, animals | 2015 | Review | |
| Ibogaine in the treatment of substance dependence. | 2013 | Review | |
| Ibogaine, an anti-addictive drug: pharmacology and time to go further in development. A narrative review. | 2008 | Review | |
| Registered clinical studies investigating psychedelic drugs for psychiatric disorders. Registered clinical trials on clinicaltrials.gov evaluating psychedelics for... | 2021 | Review | n = 70 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Ketamine and serotonergic psychedelics: An update on the mechanisms and biosignatures underlying rapid-acting antidepressant treatment Neuropharmacology January 13, 2023
- Psychedelics and connectedness to natural and social worlds: An examination of the evidence and a proposed conceptual framework. Current Opinion in Psychology April 1, 2025
- Hallucinogenic potential: a review of psychoplastogens for the treatment of opioid use disorder Frontiers in Pharmacology August 22, 2023
- Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Compounds for Substance Use Disorders. Pharmaceuticals November 5, 2024
- Large language models auto-profile conscious awareness changes under psychedelic drug effects Research Square August 8, 2024
and 4 more in the library
Cites 42
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Mystical-type experiences occasioned by psilocybin mediate the attribution of personal meaning and spiritual significance 14 months later Journal of Psychopharmacology May 30, 2008
- Constructing drug effects: A history of set and setting Drug Science, Policy and Law 2017
- Psychobiology of Altered States of Consciousness. Psychological Bulletin 2005
- Peak experiences and the afterglow phenomenon: When and how do therapeutic effects of hallucinogens depend on psychedelic experiences? Journal of Psychopharmacology February 9, 2015
and 37 more in the library