There are only a few places in the U.S where researchers have studied Ibogaine. It is an indole alkaloid present in the West African shrub’s root bark. Ibogaine has hallucinogenic properties. According to the researchers, this substance has been used in Western medicine since the 1860s.
Researchers also found that purified Ibogaine had positive effects on treating toothache, fever, and high blood pressure. And now, the use of this compound to help opioid users has become a heated debate in the political and medical community.
What Is Ibogaine?
It is a psychoactive drug that causes some hallucinogenic effects like other drugs such as psilocybin or LSD. In addition, in several studies, the compound is useful to treat addiction. There are also some short-term side effects that are related to Ibogaine, such as patients feeling anxiety after hallucination experiences.
Ibogaine also has anecdotal evidence that suggests this compound can adjust the brain chemistry of an person with an addiction. So, the person who suffers from intense withdrawal symptoms does not suffer from drug cravings or go through withdrawal.
Related Article: How Opioid Addiction Occurs? Effects and Risk Factors
Possible Benefits Of Ibogaine
Several studies have been conducted on the use of Ibogaine to treat opioid addiction. Researchers have found that it is an effective substance for resolving an opioid withdrawal syndrome in a patient within 48 hours.
Deborah C. Mash is one of the researchers who have been researching Ibogaine’s potential for several years. She has targeted several neurochemical brain systems at high doses of Ibogaine. The purpose was to bring about a quick reset that blocks opioid craving and withdrawal.
Furthermore, she has conducted one of the major open-label researches on this drug. The study included 191 patients with cocaine or opioid use disorder, conducted outside the U.S. The results showed that all patients successfully completed opioid detoxification.
In addition, many participants have maintained their drug asceticism for several months. They also had observed fewer drug cravings and improved mood.
She also said that patients must not have any liver or heart disease if they want to take Ibogaine to detoxify opioids. In addition, clinical trials are necessary to determine the effective and safe maximum dose.
