Ibogaine: A Novel Anti-Addictive Compound A Comprehensive Literature Review

Abstract

Ibogaine is a naturally occurring indole alkaloid, found in a variety of African shrubsof the Tabernathe genus (Obach, Pablo, and Mash, 1998). The root of the Tabernathe ibogaplant (also known as eboga) is the most frequently cited source of ibogaine, and this plantcontains 11 other known psychoactive constituents (Popik, and Skolnick, 1999). Chemically,ibogaine is classified as a tryptamine, being a rigid analogue of melatonin, and is structurallysimilar to harmaline, another natural alkaloid and psychedelic (Xu et al, 2000). Ibogaine wasfirst extracted from the Tabernathe iboga root in 1901 by Dybowsky and Landrin (Goutarel,Gollnhofer, and Sillans, 1993). It can also be synthesised from nicotinamide by way of a 13or 14 step process, although extraction from the iboga root is a simpler method for obtainingthe compound (Shulgin and Shulgin, 1977).