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Death due to consumption of ibogaine: case report.

Tijana Aćimović, Tatjana Atanasijević, Kristina Denić, Vera Lukić, Vesna Popović, Milenko Bogdanović

Forensic science, medicine, and pathology March 1, 2021 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-020-00342-0 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Case study Case report Peer reviewed
Sample size 1
Population A heroin addict undergoing ibogaine-based addiction treatment
Intervention ibogaine
Topics Ibogaine
Keywords Forensic science Opioid detoxification Ibogaine toxicity Drug toxicity Fatal risks Cardiovascular effects Sudden death Drug dangers Unregulated substances Substance abuse treatment Addiction treatment Drug treatment Forensic toxicology Drug detection Drug levels
Citations 17
Key findings Death after oral ingestion of ibogaine powder was probably caused by cardiovascular effects, with a measured ibogaine concentration of 3.26 mg/L and concurrent morphine and codeine present.

Abstract

Ibogaine is a psychotropic indole alkaloid extracted from the roots of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub from the Apocynaceae family. Depending on the taken dose, it can lead to stimulant effects, euphoria, visual and auditory hallucinations, along with auditory, olfactory, and gustatory synesthesia. In addition to its historical usage in spiritual rituals of African tribes, these days iboga extract presents a prohibited, alternative drug widely used as a part of addiction treatment. Ibogaine used in opioid withdrawal is associated with serious side effects and sudden deaths. Besides its main use as an anti-addiction medication in alternative medicine, in moderate doses (from 100mg to 1g) ibogaine most commonly causes a "trance-like state".In this paper, we report the case of a heroin addict who died suddenly 5-12 hours after oral ingestion of powder labeled Tabernanthe iboga which had been bought online and used in the process of detoxification during an addiction treatment. The man was found dead in a rented apartment, where he was undergoing the addiction treatment.External examination revealed no lesions other than nonspecific injuries on the legs. The autopsy showed congestion of internal organs and pulmonary edema. Histopathological analysis of the heart showed neither macroscopic nor microscopic abnormalities. The concentration of ibogaine was 3.26mg/L. Moreover, systematic toxicological analyses of biological samples showed the presence of morphine and codeine. These data suggest that death, which occurred unnaturally after initiation of the "treatment", was probably the result of the cardiovascular effects caused by the ibogaine powder.The presented case highlights the worldwide problem of various products being widely available over the internet and the danger associated with consumption thereof.

Comparable studies

Other case reports and case series on ibogaine, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Treatment of acute opioid withdrawal with ibogaine. Patients undergoing opioid detoxification with ibogaine in non-medical settings 1999 Case series n = 33
A preliminary investigation of ibogaine: case reports and recommendations for further study. Individuals addicted to opiates 1994 Case series n = 7
Long-QT Syndrome Induced by the Antiaddiction Drug Ibogaine A 31-year-old woman 2009 Case study n = 1
Distribution of ibogaine and noribogaine in a man following a poisoning involving root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub. 48-year-old Caucasian male with a history of drug abuse who died after ingesting... 2006 Case study n = 1
A case report SPECT study and theoretical rationale for the sequential administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. 31-year-old male military veteran with moderate alcohol use disorder 2018 Case study n = 1

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Ibogaine Addiction