A psychoactive alkaloid researched chiefly for its potential to interrupt opioid and stimulant dependence.
Synthesized from 25 studies in the library · AI-generated, grounded in the abstracts below
Found by searching the library for Ibogaine, iboga, noribogaine, then ranked by relevance.
Research indicates ibogaine shows promise for reducing opioid withdrawal and craving, with observational studies and case series reporting significant acute effects and some sustained abstinence, though evidence is limited by lack of randomized controlled trials and safety concerns, particularly cardiac risks and neurotoxicity. Preclinical studies consistently show reduced self-administration of opioids, cocaine, and alcohol in rats, but clinical evidence is mostly observational and durability varies.
Direction is which way each study's own result points, not our rating of the study.
| Study | Design | Sample size | Direction | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serotonin transporter-ibogaine complexes illuminate mechanisms of inhibition and transport. 2019 | structural study using cryo-electron microscopy | Unclear | Cryo-EM structures of SERT-ibogaine complexes reveal conformational changes during transport, providing insight into ibogaine's non-competitive inhibition mechanism. | |
| Noncompetitive Functional Inhibition at Diverse, Human Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subtypes by Bupropion, Phencyclidine, and Ibogaine 1999 | in vitro study | Supports | Ibogaine produces noncompetitive functional blockade of human muscle-type and ganglionic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the low to intermediate micromolar range. | |
| Degeneration of Purkinje cells in parasagittal zones of the cerebellar vermis after treatment with ibogaine or harmaline. 1993 | experimental animal study | Opposes | Ibogaine and harmaline cause selective degeneration of Purkinje cells in parasagittal stripes of the cerebellar vermis in rats, indicating neurotoxic effects. | |
| Treatment of acute opioid withdrawal with ibogaine. 1999 | case series | 33 | Supports | Ibogaine resolved opioid withdrawal signs and drug-seeking behavior within 24 hours in 25 of 33 cases, sustained over 72 hours. |
| Effects and aftereffects of ibogaine on morphine self-administration in rats. 1991 | preclinical experimental study | Supports | Ibogaine dose-dependently reduced morphine self-administration in rats, with persistent aftereffects not attributable to motor impairment or conditioned aversion. | |
| 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. 1994 | experimental study | Supports | All tested iboga alkaloids and harmaline dose-dependently reduced morphine and cocaine self-administration in rats, with some compounds producing persistent decreases lasting several days. | |
| The ibogaine medical subculture. 2008 | ethnographic study with systematic quantitative data collection | 3414 | Supports | Opioid withdrawal is the most common reason individuals take ibogaine, with 53% of an estimated 3,414 users doing so for that purpose as of February 2006. |
| Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Mediates the Desirable Actions of the Anti-Addiction Drug Ibogaine against Alcohol Consumption 2005 | experimental study | Supports | Ibogaine reduces ethanol self-administration in rats via upregulation of GDNF signaling in the ventral tegmental area. | |
| Inhibitory effects of ibogaine on cocaine self-administration in rats. 1993 | experimental study | Supports | A single injection of ibogaine (40 mg/kg) produced a significant decrease in cocaine self-administration that remained unaltered for more than 48 hours, suggesting long-lasting effects. | |
| A preliminary investigation of ibogaine: case reports and recommendations for further study. 1994 | case series | 7 | Supports | A single high dose of ibogaine eliminated opiate withdrawal symptoms in all seven participants, with three of six who took 1000 mg or more remaining drug-free for at least 14 weeks. |
| The Olivocerebellar Projection Mediates Ibogaine-Induced Degeneration of Purkinje Cells: A Model of Indirect, Trans-Synaptic Excitotoxicity 1997 | experimental study with pharmacological ablation | Opposes | Pharmacological ablation of the inferior olive almost completely prevents ibogaine-induced Purkinje cell degeneration and glial activation, indicating ibogaine's neurotoxicity is indirect and depends on an intact olivocerebellar projection. | |
| Treatment of opioid use disorder with ibogaine: detoxification and drug use outcomes. 2018 | observational study | 30 | Supports | Ibogaine treatment was associated with a significant reduction in opioid withdrawal symptoms and sustained improvements in drug use, legal, and social outcomes over 12 months. |
| Ibogaine treatment outcomes for opioid dependence from a twelve-month follow-up observational study. 2018 | observational study | 14 | Supports | A single ibogaine treatment reduced opioid withdrawal symptoms and achieved opioid cessation or sustained reduced use in dependent individuals over 12 months. |
| Ibogaine, a noncompetitive inhibitor of serotonin transport, acts by stabilizing the cytoplasm-facing state of the transporter. 2007 | laboratory study | Supports | Ibogaine inhibits serotonin transporter noncompetitively by decreasing transport rate and stabilizes the cytoplasm-facing state, contrasting with cocaine's mechanism. | |
| Ibogaine: complex pharmacokinetics, concerns for safety, and preliminary efficacy measures. 2000 | observational study | Supports | Ibogaine significantly decreased craving for cocaine and heroin and reduced depressive symptoms during inpatient detoxification, with effects lasting 30 days after discharge. | |
| Sustained abstinence in severe ketamine use disorder following ibogaine treatment case report 2026 | case report | 1 | Supports | Ibogaine treatment was associated with immediate cessation of cravings and sustained abstinence from ketamine, cocaine, and alcohol over 17 months, along with improvements in depression and quality of life. |
| Toward a nuanced framework for the medical development of ibogaine and its analogues and derivatives: implications for psychopharmacology 2026 | review | Unclear | Argues that two primary development strategies for ibogaine-based therapies exist—broad polypharmacological compounds and selective bespoke analogs—each with distinct translational trade-offs, and the field must resist oversimplified narratives about derivative superiority. | |
| Cost-Effectiveness of Medically Monitored Ibogaine for Opioid Use Disorder in Tennessee: A State-Specific Semi-Markov Analysis 2026 | decision-analytic model (cohort state-transition model with semi-Markov features) | 106000 | Supports | Adding medically monitored ibogaine to standard care was associated with lower direct medical costs, higher QALYs, and improved survival over 10 years, making it dominant in the base case. |
| MiSAM opposes bill giving $50 million in opioid settlement funds to ibogaine research 2026 | other | Opposes | The Michigan Society of Addiction Medicine opposes bill HB 6020, which would use opioid settlement funds for ibogaine research, favoring evidence-based treatments instead. | |
| Development and validation of a UPLC-MS/MS method for real-time neuropharmacokinetic monitoring of iboga alkaloids in rat brain. 2026 | method validation and preclinical application | 4 | Unclear | The validated UPLC-MS/MS method successfully quantified noribogaine in rat brain extracellular fluid, yielding a peak unbound concentration of 292 ± 68 ng/mL in the nucleus accumbens after intraperitoneal administration. |
| Indication-stratified mortality risk of ibogaine treatment under contemporary safety protocols: a multisite analysis of 19,071 patients and updated systematic review of fatalities 2026 | retrospective multisite study with systematic review | 19071 | Mixed | Ibogaine-associated mortality is largely confined to opioid detoxification and rare in non-SUD indications, with six deaths within 72 hours all among opioid use disorder patients. |
| Physarum-Mediated Biofeedback Rehabilitation: A Bio-Hybrid Framework for Ibogaine-Assisted Neural Recovery 2026 | theoretical or philosophical paper | Unclear | Proposes that mapping EEG frequency, amplitude, and phase domains to Physarum nutrient delivery can create a biohybrid feedback loop for addiction recovery, structurally isomorphic to ibogaine's mechanisms. | |
| Uso da ibogaína no tratamento da dependência química: uma revisão de literatura 2026 | review | Mixed | Ibogaine shows multimodal action and potential to reduce withdrawal and craving in substance use disorders, but safety concerns, especially cardiac risks, limit its use. | |
| Clinical improvement following an integrative iboga microdosing protocol in post-concussive and hypoxic brain injury syndromes: a case series 2026 | case series | 3 | Supports | All three participants showed progressive neurological recovery after a six-week integrative iboga microdosing protocol with psychotherapy, with two achieving complete symptom remission at long-term follow-up. |
| Exploring the Use of Ibogaine in Opioid Recovery: Insights from Lived Experience 2026 | qualitative collective case study | 10 | Supports | Participants associated ibogaine treatment with rapid detoxification, improved mood, reduced anxiety, and periods of sustained abstinence, though relapse occurred in some cases. |
Cryo-EM structures of SERT-ibogaine complexes reveal conformational changes during transport, providing insight into ibogaine's non-competitive inhibition mechanism.
structural study using cryo-electron microscopy
Ibogaine produces noncompetitive functional blockade of human muscle-type and ganglionic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the low to intermediate micromolar range.
in vitro study
Ibogaine and harmaline cause selective degeneration of Purkinje cells in parasagittal stripes of the cerebellar vermis in rats, indicating neurotoxic effects.
experimental animal study
Ibogaine resolved opioid withdrawal signs and drug-seeking behavior within 24 hours in 25 of 33 cases, sustained over 72 hours.
case series Sample size: 33
Ibogaine dose-dependently reduced morphine self-administration in rats, with persistent aftereffects not attributable to motor impairment or conditioned aversion.
preclinical experimental study
All tested iboga alkaloids and harmaline dose-dependently reduced morphine and cocaine self-administration in rats, with some compounds producing persistent decreases lasting several days.
experimental study
Opioid withdrawal is the most common reason individuals take ibogaine, with 53% of an estimated 3,414 users doing so for that purpose as of February 2006.
ethnographic study with systematic quantitative data collection Sample size: 3414
Ibogaine reduces ethanol self-administration in rats via upregulation of GDNF signaling in the ventral tegmental area.
experimental study
A single injection of ibogaine (40 mg/kg) produced a significant decrease in cocaine self-administration that remained unaltered for more than 48 hours, suggesting long-lasting effects.
experimental study
A single high dose of ibogaine eliminated opiate withdrawal symptoms in all seven participants, with three of six who took 1000 mg or more remaining drug-free for at least 14 weeks.
case series Sample size: 7
Pharmacological ablation of the inferior olive almost completely prevents ibogaine-induced Purkinje cell degeneration and glial activation, indicating ibogaine's neurotoxicity is indirect and depends on an intact olivocerebellar projection.
experimental study with pharmacological ablation
Ibogaine treatment was associated with a significant reduction in opioid withdrawal symptoms and sustained improvements in drug use, legal, and social outcomes over 12 months.
observational study Sample size: 30
A single ibogaine treatment reduced opioid withdrawal symptoms and achieved opioid cessation or sustained reduced use in dependent individuals over 12 months.
observational study Sample size: 14
Ibogaine inhibits serotonin transporter noncompetitively by decreasing transport rate and stabilizes the cytoplasm-facing state, contrasting with cocaine's mechanism.
laboratory study
Ibogaine significantly decreased craving for cocaine and heroin and reduced depressive symptoms during inpatient detoxification, with effects lasting 30 days after discharge.
observational study
Ibogaine treatment was associated with immediate cessation of cravings and sustained abstinence from ketamine, cocaine, and alcohol over 17 months, along with improvements in depression and quality of life.
case report Sample size: 1
Argues that two primary development strategies for ibogaine-based therapies exist—broad polypharmacological compounds and selective bespoke analogs—each with distinct translational trade-offs, and the field must resist oversimplified narratives about derivative superiority.
review
Adding medically monitored ibogaine to standard care was associated with lower direct medical costs, higher QALYs, and improved survival over 10 years, making it dominant in the base case.
decision-analytic model (cohort state-transition model with semi-Markov features) Sample size: 106000
The Michigan Society of Addiction Medicine opposes bill HB 6020, which would use opioid settlement funds for ibogaine research, favoring evidence-based treatments instead.
other
The validated UPLC-MS/MS method successfully quantified noribogaine in rat brain extracellular fluid, yielding a peak unbound concentration of 292 ± 68 ng/mL in the nucleus accumbens after intraperitoneal administration.
method validation and preclinical application Sample size: 4
Ibogaine-associated mortality is largely confined to opioid detoxification and rare in non-SUD indications, with six deaths within 72 hours all among opioid use disorder patients.
retrospective multisite study with systematic review Sample size: 19071
Proposes that mapping EEG frequency, amplitude, and phase domains to Physarum nutrient delivery can create a biohybrid feedback loop for addiction recovery, structurally isomorphic to ibogaine's mechanisms.
theoretical or philosophical paper
Ibogaine shows multimodal action and potential to reduce withdrawal and craving in substance use disorders, but safety concerns, especially cardiac risks, limit its use.
review
All three participants showed progressive neurological recovery after a six-week integrative iboga microdosing protocol with psychotherapy, with two achieving complete symptom remission at long-term follow-up.
case series Sample size: 3
Participants associated ibogaine treatment with rapid detoxification, improved mood, reduced anxiety, and periods of sustained abstinence, though relapse occurred in some cases.
qualitative collective case study Sample size: 10
This synthesis reads the 15 most-cited and 10 most recent studies whose primary subject is Ibogaine, up to 25 in all. The most-cited set anchors the established evidence, and the recent set surfaces work that is too new to have gathered citations yet.
A study qualifies only when Ibogaine or a known alias appears in its title or keywords, so broad reviews that mention it only in passing are left out. Each study is read from its abstract, strongest evidence first, and the summary reports the direction of the results along with any conflicts and gaps.
Latest monthly recap: June 2026 →
610 articles · 122 from the last two years · 154,163 participants across 117 studies reporting sample size
September 2, 2026 Scott R. Beach
When QT risk is a concern, consider buprenorphine over methadone. QT prolongation occurs in approximately 34% of methadone maintenance patients, and torsades in roughly 2%. Ibogaine carries a high risk of QT prolongation and torsades. Stanford developed a protocol to pre-dose patients with magnesium to reduce this risk. Evidence on donepezil's QT risk remains mixed. Case reports link it to QT...
Cureus September 2026 Robert B Raffa
An Executive Order signed in April 2026 directed US federal agencies to expedite development and review pathways for psychedelic and psychedelic-adjacent (such as ibogaine) therapies. The FDA issued Commissioner's National Priority Vouchers to psilocybin developers, and cleared the investigational new drug (IND) application for noribogaine hydrochloride for alcohol use disorder. These...
Behavioural Brain Research August 1, 2026 Alessandra Mara de Oliveira, Flavia R. Abe, Rafael G. Dos Santos et al.
Ibogaine has attracted increasing attention as a potential treatment for substance use disorders; however, its clinical application remains limited by well-documented cardiotoxicity, and its safety during early development is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the developmental cardiotoxic and neurobehavioral effects of ibogaine using zebrafish embryos and larvae as a translational model....
medRxiv July 22, 2026 Kenneth Shinozuka, Clayton Olash, Tracy Han et al. preprint
Preliminary evidence suggests that the combination of magnesium and ibogaine, an atypical psychedelic, may be a promising treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), opioid use disorder, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The "mystical" experience elicited by ibogaine, which is characterized by feelings of awe, selflessness, and transcendence, is correlated with improvements in PTSD...
Frontiers in Psychiatry July 20, 2026 Sergio Pérez Rosal, Sonya C. Faber, Markus Backmund
Substance use disorders (SUD) involving ketamine, cocaine, and alcohol present significant clinical challenges, often characterized by high relapse rates and limited pharmacological options. This case report details a 30-year-old male with a five-year history of severe polysubstance dependence, including daily intranasal ketamine use (2–3 g/day), cocaine, and alcohol, comorbid with recurrent...
Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery July 4, 2026 Christopher D. Verrico, Lynnette A. Averill, Cameron J Moore et al.
INTRODUCTION: Ibogaine is a naturally occurring indole alkaloid with suggested therapeutic potential across substance use disorders, trauma-related conditions, mood disorders, and suicidality. However, its clinical translation has been hindered by safety concerns, regulatory barriers, and uncertainty regarding its complex pharmacology. Recent interest has surged in developing ibogaine analogs...
June 30, 2026 T Wagner, Gaetano Lardieri, KD Adams
Background: Opioid use disorder remains a major public health and healthcare-system challenge in Tennessee, where many adults remain untreated, undertreated, or poorly retained in care. Medically monitored ibogaine has been proposed as a potential intervention for OUD, but its economic implications in a state treatment environment have not been well characterized. We evaluated the health and...
Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly June 29, 2026 Alison Knopf
The Michigan Society of Addiction Medicine (MiSAM) has written a letter to the Michigan legislature opposing bill HB 6020, which would use opioid settlement funds to expand research into ibogaine.
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis June 24, 2026 Scot Mcintosh, Isabella Maldonado, Nickalus C Smith et al.
Iboga alkaloids, including ibogaine, its primary metabolite noribogaine, and the naturally occurring congener ibogamine, have shown promise for the treatment of substance use and other neuropsychiatric disorders but are limited by cardiotoxic effects. Safer synthetic analogs, such as oxa-noribogaine, are under active development; however, validated analytical methods for quantifying these...
Research Square June 17, 2026 Martijn Arns, Kenneth Shinozuka, Joseph P Barsuglia
Abstract Ibogaine has shown early therapeutic promise for substance use disorders (SUD) and post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans, but concerns about treatment-associated cardiac arrhythmia and death have constrained clinical development. Whether this risk is uniform across indications or concentrated in specific populations is unknown. We conducted a retrospective multisite study of...
Recruiting 20 participants University of California, Irvine
Withdrawn Phase 2 0 participants Johns Hopkins University
Completed Phase 2 9 participants University of Sao Paulo
Active, not recruiting 52 participants Axial Therapeutic Research
Active, not recruiting 30 participants Stanford University