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Ibogaine

Compound

Psychoactive alkaloid from the African iboga plant studied for addiction interruption.

Example: Its original 1980s patents, filed for exactly this indication, are long expired — and the drug program built to revive that use case stalled over a cardiac safety signal. See the full history.

What is ibogaine?

A psychoactive alkaloid from the root bark of the African iboga shrub, historically used in Central African Bwiti spiritual practice and studied in the West primarily for interrupting opioid and other substance-use addiction.

Is ibogaine legal?

Schedule I in the US, though it's drawn renewed federal attention regardless — officials described its regulatory path as an "uphill battle" at a recent federal forum.

Why did ibogaine drug development stall?

Its original patents, filed in the 1980s for addiction treatment, are long expired, and the program built to revive that use case (DemeRx's noribogaine) stalled over a cardiac safety signal — ibogaine can prolong the heart's QT interval, a risk factor for dangerous arrhythmia. See the full history.

What is ibogaine used for?

Primarily studied for interrupting addiction, particularly opioid dependence, in a single or limited number of sessions — a different model from the ongoing daily-use approach of most addiction medications.

Related Articles

Policy Aug 31, 2026

Ibogaine's Flagship Drug Hit a Cardiac Signal and a Lawsuit. A Different Drug Is Now Leading.

A company-by-company look at who holds ibogaine's 53 patents — and how the compound's original opioid-use-disorder program stalled over a cardiac safety signal and litigation, while a different drug, for a different disease, became the first ibogaine-class compound ever cleared for a US trial.

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