Reconsidering Ibogaine for the treatment of severe mental illness and substance use disorders
Journal of Medicine Surgery and Public Health August 25, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.glmedi.2025.100213 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Ibogaine |
| Topics | Addiction Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Mental illness Substance use Psychotherapist Mental health |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Ibogaine shows promise for treating severe mental illness and substance use disorders but is limited by safety concerns, particularly cardiac risks. |
Abstract
Severe mental illness (SMI) and co-occurring substance use disorders (SUDs) continue to pose a major global health challenge, contributing to high rates of mortality, disability, and economic strain. Ibogaine, a naturally occurring psychoactive compound derived from the Tabernanthe iboga plant, has shown promise in easing withdrawal symptoms, reducing cravings, and improving psychiatric symptoms linked to addiction. While early observational studies and a growing number of clinical trials are encouraging, concerns about safety—particularly its impact on heart function, such as QT interval prolongation and the risk of life-threatening arrhythmias—have limited its broader clinical use. Moving forward, key research priorities include conducting large-scale randomized controlled trials with personalized dosing strategies, developing safer synthetic alternatives, investigating the drug’s underlying neurobiological effects, and tracking long-term outcomes. Closing these gaps is crucial to fully understand and safely harness ibogaine’s potential for treating SMI and SUDs.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ibogaine for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| A review of chemical agents in the pharmacotherapy of addiction. | 2002 | Review | |
| Engineering Safer Psychedelics for Treating Addiction. | 2021 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF PTSD WITH PSYCHEDELICS: A FUTURE OUTLOOK International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science December 24, 2025
- Ibogaine: Revisiting an Ancient Alkaloid for Modern Opioid Dependence Substance Use & Misuse December 17, 2025
- Ibogaine for Substance Use Disorders. Advances in Therapy October 14, 2026
Cites 19
- The ibogaine medical subculture. Journal of Ethnopharmacology January 4, 2008
- Ibogaine treatment outcomes for opioid dependence from a twelve-month follow-up observational study. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 2018
- Ibogaine: complex pharmacokinetics, concerns for safety, and preliminary efficacy measures. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences September 1, 2000
- The Anti-Addiction Drug Ibogaine and the Heart: A Delicate Relation Molecules January 29, 2015
- Fatalities temporally associated with the ingestion of ibogaine. Journal of Forensic Sciences March 1, 2012
and 14 more in the library