The use of ibogaine is limited due to its side effects. It can cause high levels of blood pressure in some people.
Ibogaine has an extremely low therapeutic index (a measure of toxicity), meaning that a dose above its threshold level can lead to serious side effects. A dose of 50 mg/kg has been considered a maximum tolerated dose, while doses of 100–200 mg/kg have been associated with cardiotoxicity. Other toxicities include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
The main side effects of ibogaine include high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia and seizures, which are not rare in patients. Severe adverse reactions Ibogaine treatment centers include renal failure and coma. In most patients, however, the high dosage regimen is not necessary. For this reason, ibogaine is usually administered by intramuscular injection.
Ibogaine treatment is only useful in severe cases where the other forms of detoxification are contraindicated or ineffective.
Ibogaine is used in the treatment of addiction to heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol.
The use of ibogaine as a treatment of drug addiction began in the 1950s. Research suggests that ibogaine can be an effective treatment for addiction in both methadone- and cocaine-addicted populations.
