Harm Reduction in Treatment

Ibogaine is also very effective against stimulant addiction (cocaine, crack, crystal meth) as the same dopamine reward circuitry is reset. There is no other known substance that can do this. Ibogaine also cleanses all traces of drugs from your body. While ibogaine is a unique natural medicine, it is not a magic bullet.

Initial investigation resulted from anecdotal reports of self-treated addicts who experienced a marked lack of desire to continue with opiate abuse following iboga ingestion. Subsequently, ibogaine and 18-methoxycoronaridine have been studied for the treatment of drug addiction.

The highly lipophilic ibogaine is subject to extensive biotransformation, primarily by the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) 2D6 enzyme, and disappears fairly rapidly from the bloodstream (half-life = 7.5 hours) (Mash 2001) Significant interindividual differences are evident in the metabolism of ibogaine; clinical studies have classified individuals as extensive or poor metabolizers. Blood levels of noribogaine, an active metabolite, remain elevated 24 hours after a single dose, partially explaining the long duration of action. In addition, ibogaine is stored in fat and a slow release from fat stores has been hypothesized to further contribute to the protracted effects of the drug (Glick 2001)

The pharmacology of ibogaine is complex and is thought to have multiple actions that are reflected in the ability of the drug to treat diverse addictions (Glick 2001) Ibogaine and noribogaine act on several neurotransmitter systems in the brain that may contribute to the ability to suppress autonomic changes, objective signs, and subjective distress associated with opiate withdrawal. Noribogaine binds to numerous sites in the CNS including serotonin, dopamine, and sigma receptors, kappa- and mu-opioid receptors, and the n-methyl-d-aspartate ion channel. Noribogaine elevates serotonin concentrations in the brain, a possible explanation for its antidepressive effects. The sustained presence of noribogaine in the CNS coupled with its agonist activity at opioid receptors may produce the self-tapering effect in opiate-dependent patients following abrupt discontinuation of opiates.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that ibogaine, which is derived from a plant found in the African rainforest, adjusts brain chemistry to the point that a person who otherwise might experience intense withdrawal symptoms for one or two weeks does not go through withdrawal or suffer from cravings. However, scientists exploring the potential of this drug in addiction treatment do not believe ibogaine completely ends addiction; instead, it interrupts the process. (1)

The addiction model of disease describes the condition as chronic due to long-term changes to the reward centers of the brain. When a person takes ibogaine, the drug is converted into a compound called noribogaine, which targets the areas of the brain affected by drug-seeking and addictive behaviors. Noribogaine “rewires” these areas, allowing the brain to restructure itself to a state similar to before addiction was triggered.