What We Have Gained from Ibogaine: α3β4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Inhibitors as Treatments for Substance Use Disorders.
Carolyn J Straub, Lisa E Rusali, Kyle M Kremiller, Andrew P Riley
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry January 12, 2023 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01562 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Addiction Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Ibogaine: natural compound Plant medicine Drug addiction Suds Substance abuse Neuropharmacology Therapeutic treatment: therapy Anti-addictive treatment Medical treatment |
| Citations | 19 |
| Key findings | Inhibition of α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors is a probable mechanism for ibogaine's anti-addictive activity, and targeting these receptors shows promising potential for treating substance use disorders. |
Abstract
For decades, ibogaine─the main psychoactive alkaloid found in Tabernanthe iboga─has been investigated as a possible treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) due to its purported ability to interrupt the addictive properties of multiple drugs of abuse. Of the numerous pharmacological actions of ibogaine and its derivatives, the inhibition of α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), represents a probable mechanism of action for their apparent anti-addictive activity. In this Perspective, we examine several classes of compounds that have been discovered and developed to target α3β4 nAChRs. Specifically, by focusing on compounds that have proven efficacious in pre-clinical models of drug abuse and have been evaluated clinically, we highlight the promising potential of the α3β4 nAChRs as viable targets to treat a wide array of SUDs. Additionally, we discuss the challenges faced by the existing classes of α3β4 nAChR ligands that must be overcome to develop them into therapeutic treatments.
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
Cites 21
- A non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analogue with therapeutic potential. Nature 2021
- Degeneration of Purkinje cells in parasagittal zones of the cerebellar vermis after treatment with ibogaine or harmaline. Neuroscience July 1, 1993
- 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. Brain Research September 19, 1994
- The ibogaine medical subculture. Journal of Ethnopharmacology January 4, 2008
- Mechanisms of action of ibogaine and harmaline congeners based on radioligand binding studies. Brain Research February 7, 1992
and 16 more in the library