Ibogaine History & Timeline
1864
The first description of T. iboga is published.
A specimen is brought to France from Gabon.
A published description of the ceremonial use of
T. iboga in Gabon appears in 1885.
1901
Ibogaine is isolated and crystallized from T. iboga root bark.
1901-1905
Ibogaine is isolated and crystallized from T. iboga root bark.
1939-1970
Ibogaine is sold in France as Lambarene,
a “neuromuscular stimulant,” in 8 mg tablets,
recommended for indications that include
fatigue, depression, and recovery
from infectious disease.
1955
Harris Isbell administers doses of ibogaine
of up to 300 mg to eight already detoxified morphine addicts at the
U.S. Addiction Research Center in Lexington, Kentucky.
1957
The description of the definitive chemical structure of ibogaine is published.
The total synthesis of ibogaine is reported in 1965.
1962-1963
In the United States, Howard Lotsof administers
ibogaine to 1-9 individuals at dosages
of 6 to 19 mg/kg, including 7 with opioid
dependence who note an apparent
effect on acute withdrawal symptomatology.
1967-1970
The World Health Assembly classifies ibogaine
with hallucinogens and stimulants as a “substance likely to cause dependency or endanger human health.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assigns ibogaine Schedule I classification.
The International Olympic Committee bans ibogaine as a potential doping agent.
Sales of Lambarene cease in France.
1969
Dr. Claudio Naranjo, a psychiatrist, receives a French patent for the psychotherapeutic
use of ibogaine at a dosage of 4 to 5 mg/kg.
1985
Howard Lotsof receives a U.S. patent for the
use of ibogaine in opiate withdrawal.
Additional patents follow for indications
of dependence on cocaine and other
stimulants, alcohol, nicotine,
and polysubstance abuse.
1988
U.S. and Dutch researchers publish initial findings
suggestive of the efficacy of ibogaine in
animal models of addiction,
including diminished opioid self-administration
and withdrawal, as well as
diminished cocaine self-administration.
1989-1993
Treatments are conducted outside of
conventional medical settings in the Netherlands
involving the International Coalition of
Addict Self-Help (ICASH),
Dutch Addict Self Help (DASH),
and NDA International.
1991
Based on case reports and preclinical evidence
suggesting possible efficacy,
NIDA Medication Development Division (MDD)
begins its ibogaine project.
The major objectives of the ibogaine project
are preclinical toxicological evaluation
and development of a human protocol.
August 1993
FDA Advisory Panel meeting, chaired by
Medical Review Officer Curtis Wright,
is held to formally consider Investigational
New Drug Application filed by Dr. Deborah Mash,
Professor of Neurology at the
University of Miami School of Medicine.
Approval is given for human trials.
The approved Ibogaine dosage levels are
1, 2, and 5 mg/kg.
The Phase I dose escalation study begins
December 1993, but activity is eventually
suspended due to lack of funds.
October 93- December 94
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
holds a total of four Phase I/II protocol development meetings,
which include outside consultants.
The resulting draft protocol calls for the single administration or fixed dosages of
ibogaine of 150 and 300 mg versus placebo for the indication of cocaine dependence.
1995
NIDA Ibogaine Review Meeting is held in
Rockville, Maryland,
chaired by the MDD Deputy Director, Dr. Frank Vocci.
The possibility of NIDA funding a human trial
of the efficacy of ibogaine is considered.
Opinions of representatives of the pharmaceutical
industry are mostly critical, and are a significant
influence in the decision not to fund the trial.
NIDA ends its ibogaine project but it does
continue to support some preclinical
research on iboga alkaloids.
Mid 1990’s- 2001
Ibogaine becomes increasingly available in
alternative settings, in view of the lack of approval
in the Europe and the United States.
Treatments in settings based on a conventional
medical model are conducted in
Panama in 1994 and 1995 and in St. Kitts from
1996 to the present. Informal scenes begin
in the United States, Slovenia, Britain,
the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic.
he Ibogaine Mailing List begins in 1997 and
heralds an increasing utilization of the Internet
within the ibogaine medical subculture.
From Ibogaine: A Review by Kenneth R. Alper.
Published in Ibogaine: Proceedings of the First International Conference (The Alkaloids, Volume 56) Academic Press, 2001.
