Taming ibogaine

Abstract

By systematically tweaking the structure of the psychedelic compound ibogaine, chemists have created a molecule that may someday find use as a treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and addiction. The compound, which the researchers call tabernanthalog, has a simpler structure than ibogaine, making it easier to synthesize. Researchers in David E. Olson’s lab at the University of California, Davis, have been exploring psychedelic compounds as potential therapeutics for neuropsychiatric conditions. They think that psychedelics can regrow neurons and reestablish synaptic connections in an area of the brain that degenerates in these illnesses. Olson notes the recent success of the psychedelic drug ketamine as a treatment for depression. But ketamine has hallucinogenic properties and therefore must be given to patients by a health-care professional to ensure safety. “We really wanted to see if we could use chemistry to engineer a psychedelic compound to lack the hallucinogenic effects but retain the