Ibogaine Blocks Cue- and Drug-Induced Reinstatement of Conditioned Place Preference to Ethanol in Male Mice.
Gabrielle M Henriques, Alexia Anjos-Santos, Isa R S Rodrigues, Victor Nascimento-Rocha, Henrique S Reis, Matheus Libarino-Santos, Thaísa Barros-Santos, Thaís S. Yokoyama, Natalia B Bertagna, Cristiane A Favoretto, Célia R G Moraes, Fábio C Cruz, Paulo C R Barbosa, Eduardo A V Marinho, Alexandre J. Oliveira-Lima, Laís F. Berro
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2021 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.739012 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preclinical study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Male mice |
| Intervention | Ibogaine |
| Dose | 10 or 30 mg/kg |
| Topics | Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Conditioned place preference Ethanol Mice Reinstatement Alcohol-seeking behaviors Researchers investigated Ibogaine ibogaine |
| Citations | 10 |
| Key points | Repeated ibogaine treatment blocked the reinstatement of ethanol-induced conditioned place preference in male mice. |
Abstract
Ibogaine is a psychedelic extracted from the plant Tabernanthe iboga Baill. (Apocynaceae), natural from Africa, and has been proposed as a potential treatment for substance use disorders. In animal models, ibogaine reduces ethanol self-administration. However, no study to date has investigated the effects of ibogaine on ethanol-induced conditioned place preference (CPP). The present study aimed to investigate the effects of repeated treatment with ibogaine on the reinstatement of CPP to ethanol in male mice. The rewarding effects of ethanol (1.8 g/kg, i. p.) or ibogaine (10 or 30 mg/kg, p. o.) were investigated using the CPP model. Furthermore, we evaluated the effects of repeated treatment with ibogaine (10 or 30 mg/kg, p. o.) on the reinstatement of ethanol-induced CPP. Reinstatement was evaluated under two conditions: 1) during a priming injection re-exposure test in which animals received a priming injection of ethanol and had free access to the CPP apparatus; 2) during a drug-free test conducted 24 h after a context-paired re-exposure, in which subjects received an injection of ethanol and were confined to the compartment previously conditioned to ethanol. Our results show that ethanol, but not ibogaine, induced CPP in mice. Treatment with ibogaine after conditioning with ethanol blocked the reinstatement of ethanol-induced CPP, both during a drug priming reinstatement test and during a drug-free test conducted after re-exposure to ethanol in the ethanol-paired compartment. Our findings add to the literature suggesting that psychedelics, in particular ibogaine, may have therapeutic properties for the treatment of alcohol use disorder at doses that do not have rewarding effects per se.
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 9
- The Bright Side of Psychedelics: Latest Advances and Challenges in Neuropharmacology International Journal of Molecular Sciences January 10, 2023
- IUPHAR - invited review - Ibogaine - A legacy within the current renaissance of psychedelic therapy. Pharmacological Research April 1, 2023
- Epigenetic drugs and psychedelics as emerging therapies for alcohol use disorder: insights from preclinical studies. Journal of Neural Transmission May 1, 2024
- Psychedelic Drugs in Mental Disorders: Current Clinical Scope and Deep Learning‐Based Advanced Perspectives Advanced Science March 20, 2025
- High dose of psilocybin induces acute behavioral changes without inducing conditioned place preference in Sprague-Dawley rats Journal of Psychopharmacology September 22, 2025
and 4 more in the library
Cites 17
- Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: A proof-of-concept study Journal of Psychopharmacology January 13, 2015
- Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcoholism: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Journal of Psychopharmacology March 8, 2012
- Effects and aftereffects of ibogaine on morphine self-administration in rats. European Journal of Pharmacology April 3, 1991
- Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Mediates the Desirable Actions of the Anti-Addiction Drug Ibogaine against Alcohol Consumption Journal of Neuroscience January 19, 2005
- Attenuation of alcohol intake by ibogaine in three strains of alcohol-preferring rats. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior November 1, 1995
and 12 more in the library