The current opioid epidemic, exacerbated further by the COVID-19 pandemic, is skyrocketing in proportion. With the need for better addiction medicine and treatment programs on the rise, many are turning to a psychedelic shrub from West Africa to treat even the most severe addictions, including those to heroin, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine. How exactly does this shrub help treat addiction and does it carry the sort of clinical promise its enthusiasts are touting? A deep dive into the clinical literature suggests it indeed does help.
What is Ibogaine?
Ibogaine is an indole alkaloid that is derived from the Iboga shrub native to West Africa. It is the primary constituent of interest in the shrub to scientists and researchers today due to its therapeutic potential in addiction treatment. In particular, Ibogaine has shown incredible efficacy in drastically reducing if not eliminating the physical withdrawals from opiates, such as OxyContin, morphine, and heroin. It has also shown demonstrable efficacy in alcohol and stimulant addiction as well. Consuming the psychoactive shrub is a traditional part of the Bwiti custom and is used in coming of age rituals. It’s speculated by some that the powerful psycho-spiritual experience brought on by Iboga is the reason the Bwiti people don’t have a word for depression or addiction. So how exactly is Ibogaine used to treat addiction today?
How is Ibogaine Used to Treat Opioid Addiction?
Of all the different substances people abuse and use Ibogaine to recover from, its ability to treat opioid addiction is particularly remarkable. This is because the active chemical Ibogaine hydrochloride (Ibogaine HCl) not only suppresses and eliminates opioid withdrawals but prevents cravings for some time afterward as well. To date, no modern pharmacotherapies that are currently available can boast the therapeutic benefits that Ibogaine can for opiate addiction. However, as effective as Ibogaine can be in the treatment of opioid addiction, there are some significant drawbacks in regards to toxicities when using Ibogaine that needs to be considered as well.
Evaluating the Risk of Cardiotoxicity When Utilizing Ibogaine for Addiction Treatment
As mentioned earlier, there exists a risk for cardiotoxic events in some individuals. Ibogaine has been shown to cause what is known as “QT prolongation” in some individuals with prior history of cardiac issues. For this reason, its critical Ibogaine providers conduct thorough pre-screening of prospective patients before them receiving treatment. An EKG is generally administered and carefully analyzed for any abnormalities before proceeding with treatment. This is the ideal way to prevent possible arrhythmias during an Ibogaine session used for addiction interruption. By and large, most experienced Ibogaine providers agree that complications during treatment can be avoided with proper pre-screening.
A Note About MindMed & 18-MC
While Ibogaine can prove incredibly useful for many patients, its cardiotoxic profile makes it a difficult candidate to get through the FDA’s pipeline. The researchers over at the pioneering psychedelic team that is MindMed are currently testing their novel Ibogaine derivative, 18-MC, which boasts a much safer toxicity profile compared to Ibogaine HCl, and is also non-psychoactive, an advantageous benefit given the current regulatory landscape.
Ibogaine Clinics Today & A Look Ahead
Ibogaine clinics today range from tropical getaways in Cancun that look more like spas to more traditional, “indigenous” flavored retreats, such as those in central Mexico. Others yet run underground in the states and several are just across the border in Tijuana. Furthermore, drugs like 18-MC promise to offer many of the coveted therapeutic qualities of Ibogaine to a wider population of patient’s who need it, With new psychedelic research pushing progressive drug policies and the opioid epidemic needing a solution, perhaps regulation is the better solution over prohibition so people with opioid addiction can get the help they so desperately need.