Noribogaine acute administration in rats promotes wakefulness and suppresses REM sleep.
Juan Pedro Castro-Nin, Diego Serantes, Paola Rodríguez, Bruno González, Ignacio Carrera, Pablo Torterolo, Joaquín González
Psychopharmacology July 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06572-2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rats |
| Intervention | Noribogaine |
| Topics | Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Psychedelics Key metabolite Compounds Sleep physiology sleep Alters sleep Promotes wakefulness Reduces slow-wave sleep Blocks rem sleep Brain function EEG Recordings |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Noribogaine promotes wakefulness, reduces slow-wave sleep, and blocks REM sleep in rats, mirroring the effects of ibogaine. |
Abstract
Ibogaine is a potent atypical psychedelic that has gained considerable attention due to its antiaddictive and antidepressant properties in preclinical and clinical studies. Previous research from our group showed that ibogaine suppresses sleep and produces an altered wakefulness state, which resembles natural REM sleep. However, after systemic administration, ibogaine is rapidly metabolized to noribogaine, which also shows antiaddictive effects but with a distinct pharmacological profile, making this drug a promising therapeutic candidate. Therefore, we still ignore whether the sleep/wake alterations depend on ibogaine or its principal metabolite noribogaine. To answer this question, we conducted polysomnographic recordings in rats following the administration of pure noribogaine. Our results show that noribogaine promotes wakefulness while reducing slow-wave sleep and blocking REM sleep, similar to our previous results reported for ibogaine administration. Thus, we shed new evidence on the mechanisms by which iboga alkaloids work in the brain.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on ibogaine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noncompetitive Functional Inhibition at Diverse, Human Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subtypes by Bupropion, Phencyclidine, and Ibogaine TE671/RD cells (human muscle-type nAChR) and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells (human... | 1999 | In vitro study | |
| Degeneration of Purkinje cells in parasagittal zones of the cerebellar vermis after treatment with ibogaine or harmaline. Ibogaine- or harmaline-treated rats | 1993 | Experimental animal study | |
| Effects and aftereffects of ibogaine on morphine self-administration in rats. Rats | 1991 | Preclinical experimental study | |
| 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. Rats | 1994 | Experimental study | |
| Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Mediates the Desirable Actions of the Anti-Addiction Drug Ibogaine against Alcohol Consumption Rats | 2005 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Psychedelic Drugs in Mental Disorders: Current Clinical Scope and Deep Learning‐Based Advanced Perspectives Advanced Science March 20, 2025
- Noribogaine altered intrinsic properties of thalamocortical neurons in a sex-dependent manner Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry August 1, 2025
- Psychedelics and the thalamocortical system: A scoping review Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior July 9, 2026
Cites 32
- Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity Cell Reports June 1, 2018
- Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Psychological Medicine June 15, 2018
- A non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analogue with therapeutic potential. Nature 2021
- Psychedelics promote neuroplasticity through the activation of intracellular 5-HT2A receptors Science February 16, 2023
- Treatment of acute opioid withdrawal with ibogaine. American Journal on Addictions 1999
and 27 more in the library