What should I know about ibogaine?

Here's your dose of smart advice.

Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive compound derived from the iboga shrub, which is native to Central Africa.

Known for its hallucinogenic effects, iboga has long been used in some parts of Africa for medicinal and ceremonial purposes.

In Gabon and Congo, it has long been consumed as a stimulant and as an aphrodisiac.

How ibogaine affects the brain is not fully known.

The compound is believed to act on various neurotransmitters in the brain, including N-methyl-D-aspartate, or NMDA.

The pathway is believed to be important in facilitating the growth of new neurons and connections, also known as neuroplasticity or rewiring of the brain.

What makes ibogaine interesting to researchers and the public is its potential as a remedy for some hard to treat mental health conditions.

There are suggestions that ibogaine can relieve opioid withdrawal cravings, and it might also be helpful as a treatment for crack addiction, for people with severe PTSD, depression, anxiety, and in those with traumatic brain injuries.

There's a lack of well-controlled studies looking at ibogaine.

Researchers not connected with these studies note that the setting and non-medicinal support provided to the people recruited in these studies would likely provide benefits in addition to the ibogaine itself.

The other issue with studies involving ibogaine is that the drug's effects would be hard to replicate in a placebo.

Health Canada has not authorized the use or sale of ibogaine and has not authorized any clinical trials using it.

In the absence of evidence from clinical trials, it cannot be prescribed as a medication.

Some pharmaceutical companies are developing synthetic versions of ibogaine.

In the US, ibogaine is classed as a Schedule I drug, which means it's considered to have no medicinal benefit and a high risk of abuse.

Other Schedule I drugs include heroin and LSD.

Ibogaine also has some potentially serious adverse effects.

It can trigger heart rhythm disturbances that can be fatal.

Experts familiar with the drug say the risk can be managed by screening out people at high risk of arrhythmias, by administering magnesium before and during treatment, and by monitoring the heart rhythm during treatment.

It is the risk of serious harm that has led some experts to recommend that ibogaine not be tried outside of supervised clinical trials in which patients are closely monitored.

There are lots of other treatments for severe depression, PTSD, and addiction that have proven benefits.

Here's your dose of smart advice.

Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive compound derived from the iboga shrub, which is native to Central Africa.

Known for its hallucinogenic effects, iboga has long been used in some parts of Africa for medicinal and ceremonial purposes.

In Gabon and Congo, it has long been consumed as a stimulant and as an aphrodisiac.

How ibogaine affects the brain is not fully known.

The compound is believed to act on various neurotransmitters in the brain, including N-methyl-D-aspartate, or NMDA.

The pathway is believed to be important in facilitating the growth of new neurons and connections, also known as neuroplasticity or rewiring of the brain.

What makes ibogaine interesting to researchers and the public is its potential as a remedy for some hard to treat mental health conditions.

There are suggestions that ibogaine can relieve opioid withdrawal cravings, and it might also be helpful as a treatment for crack addiction, for people with severe PTSD, depression, anxiety, and in those with traumatic brain injuries.

There's a lack of well-controlled studies looking at ibogaine.

Researchers not connected with these studies note that the setting and non-medicinal support provided to the people recruited in these studies would likely provide benefits in addition to the ibogaine itself.

The other issue with studies involving ibogaine is that the drug's effects would be hard to replicate in a placebo.

Health Canada has not authorized the use or sale of ibogaine and has not authorized any clinical trials using it.

In the absence of evidence from clinical trials, it cannot be prescribed as a medication.

Some pharmaceutical companies are developing synthetic versions of ibogaine.

In the US, ibogaine is classed as a Schedule I drug, which means it's considered to have no medicinal benefit and a high risk of abuse.

Other Schedule I drugs include heroin and LSD.

Ibogaine also has some potentially serious adverse effects.

It can trigger heart rhythm disturbances that can be fatal.

Experts familiar with the drug say the risk can be managed by screening out people at high risk of arrhythmias, by administering magnesium before and during treatment, and by monitoring the heart rhythm during treatment.

It is the risk of serious harm that has led some experts to recommend that ibogaine not be tried outside of supervised clinical trials in which patients are closely monitored.

There are lots of other treatments for severe depression, PTSD, and addiction that have proven benefits.