Ibogaine Detoxification Transitions Opioid and Cocaine Abusers Between Dependence and Abstinence: Clinical Observations and Treatment Outcomes.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Uncontrolled open-label case series
PubMed 29922156 · doi:10.3389/fphar.2018.00529
What was done
Authors reviewed clinical and pharmacokinetic outcomes from an open-label inpatient case series of 191 volunteers undergoing medically monitored detoxification from opioids or cocaine with single-dose ibogaine. Assessments included whole-blood assays for ibogaine metabolism and clearance, adverse event monitoring, multi-dimensional craving questionnaires, standardized health and mood scales before treatment, after treatment, and at discharge, and 1-month follow-up evaluations where available.
What was found
The authors report that ibogaine administration diminished opioid withdrawal symptoms, reduced heroin and cocaine cravings, and produced no significant adverse events within the tested dose range. However, the abstract provides no numerical values, effect sizes, confidence intervals, or statistical test results.
Why it matters
This study provides observational inpatient data on the safety, pharmacokinetics, and withdrawal symptom attenuation associated with ibogaine in a sizable clinical cohort.
Limits
The study is an uncontrolled, open-label case series lacking a comparator or placebo group, precluding causal inference. The abstract reports no quantitative data, exact dosages, patient demographics, or statistical analyses. Follow-up at one month was only conducted where available, introducing risk of attrition bias, and long-term abstinence was not evaluated.
Cited by
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- partial Ibogaine eliminates substance addiction in a single administration.