Esperança · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) 2026 · scoping review · n=?

Ibogaine: Therapeutic Potential, Cardiac Safety, and Translational Perspectives in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders-A Scoping Review.

Cited 1 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Scoping review synthesizing heterogeneous preclinical, clinical, and mechanistic literature.

PubMed 41683522 · doi:10.3390/molecules31030545 · record verified 2026-08-26

What was done

The authors conducted a scoping review synthesizing published preclinical and clinical literature on ibogaine for the treatment of substance use disorders. The review evaluated reported effects on substance withdrawal symptoms, drug craving, dose-response relationships, and the occurrence of cardiac adverse events.

What was found

The abstract reports no numerical findings or quantitative effect estimates. It notes that ibogaine exhibits a multimodal neuropharmacological profile that supports a hypothesized neurobiological reset across multiple addiction pathways, but emphasizes that evidence remains fragmented and constrained by significant cardiac safety concerns and lack of standardized formulations.

Why it matters

This review outlines the therapeutic rationale and translational roadblocks for ibogaine, framing the key toxicological and regulatory requirements needed before it can be safely developed for addiction treatment.

Limits

The abstract provides no study counts, sample sizes, or specific quantitative outcome measures. The underlying literature base is heterogeneous and limited by cardiac toxicity risks, lack of regulatory standardization, and reliance on early-stage or preclinical evidence.

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