The antiaddictive effects of ibogaine: A systematic literature review of human studies
Rafael G. Dos Santos, José Carlos Bouso, Jaime E. C. Hallak
Journal of Psychedelic Studies April 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1556/2054.01.2016.001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Placebo-controlled Open-label Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 8 |
| Population | Human studies assessing antiaddictive effects of ibogaine |
| Topics | Addiction Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Opiate Hallucinogen Pharmacology Placebo Craving Randomized controlled trial Drug Alternative medicine |
| Citations | 36 |
| Key findings | Case series suggest ibogaine may reduce withdrawal, craving, and self-administration in dependent individuals, but a placebo-controlled trial found no significant effect of noribogaine on opiate/opioid withdrawal. |
Abstract
Ibogaine is a naturally occurring hallucinogenic alkaloid with a therapeutic potential for reducing drug craving and withdrawal. To the best of our knowledge, no systematic review was previously performed assessing these effects. Thus, we conducted a systematic literature review of human studies assessing the antiaddictive effects of ibogaine. Papers published up to July 2, 2016 were included from PubMed, LILACS, and SciELO databases following a comprehensive search strategy and a pre-determined set of criteria for article selection. Two hundred and fifty-nine studies were identified, of which eight met the established criteria. Seven studies were open-label case series with ibogaine and one study was a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial with noribogaine. Case series suggest that a single dose or a few treatments with ibogaine may significantly reduce drug withdrawal, craving, and self-administration in dependent individuals lasting from 24 h to weeks or months. No significant effects of noribogaine on opiate/opioid withdrawal were observed in the clinical trial. Considering the necessity of new drugs that may produce fast-acting and sustained effects in opiate/opioid and cocaine dependence, the potential beneficial effects of ibogaine/noribogaine should be further investigated in controlled trials.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on ibogaine for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A systematic literature review of clinical trials and therapeutic applications of ibogaine. Individuals receiving ibogaine or noribogaine for substance use disorders | 2022 | Systematic review | n = 705 |
| Ibogaine and addiction in the animal model, a systematic review and meta-analysis. Animals in studies of substance use disorders | 2016 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | n = 27 |
| Ibogaine/Noribogaine in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: ASystematic Review of the Current Literature | 2022 | Systematic review | |
| The therapeutic effects of psychedelics for opioid use disorder: A systematic review of clinical studies. | 2025 | Systematic review | |
| A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Investigating the Efficacy of Various Psychedelic Drugs for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorder. Human beings with a substance use disorder | 2025 | Meta-analysis |
Citations in the library
Cited by 27
- Ayahuasca and Public Health: Health Status, Psychosocial Well-Being, Lifestyle, and Coping Strategies in a Large Sample of Ritual Ayahuasca Users Journal of Psychoactive Drugs February 7, 2019
- A systematic literature review of clinical trials and therapeutic applications of ibogaine. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment July 1, 2022
- Classic and non‐classic psychedelics for substance use disorder: A review of their historic, past and current research Addiction Neuroscience June 22, 2022
- The adverse events of ibogaine in humans: an updated systematic review of the literature (2015-2020). Psychopharmacology June 1, 2022
- IUPHAR - invited review - Ibogaine - A legacy within the current renaissance of psychedelic therapy. Pharmacological Research April 1, 2023
and 22 more in the library
Cites 27
- Antidepressive, anxiolytic, and antiaddictive effects of ayahuasca, psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): a systematic review of clinical trials published in the last 25 years Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology March 18, 2016
- Do the dissociative side effects of ketamine mediate its antidepressant effects? Journal of Affective Disorders February 18, 2014
- Treatment of acute opioid withdrawal with ibogaine. American Journal on Addictions 1999
- The ibogaine medical subculture. Journal of Ethnopharmacology January 4, 2008
- Single Versus Repeated Sessions of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for People with Heroin Dependence Journal of Psychoactive Drugs March 1, 2007
and 22 more in the library