GoKawiilIbogaine root (left), which has psychedlic properties, can be processesd into either a liquid or powder form. Credit: Nigel Dodds/Alamy
The potent and long-lasting psychedelic ibogaine is something of a scientific mystery, in part because it is one of the most tightly controlled drugs in the United States. But a new directive from US President Donald Trump aims to change that.
On 18 April, Trump signed an executive order to streamline research into ibogaine and other psychedelic compounds and to make it easier for people with certain illnesses to access these drugs. The move has been welcomed by researchers who see potential for the drugs in treating conditions such as addiction, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Clinical trials have yielded some encouraging results for drugs such as MDMA, also known as ecstasy, and psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound in magic mushrooms.
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But scientists are also concerned about possible side effects, and the impact on health services if the drugs are approved. And the mention of only one compound by name in the executive order has surprised some researchers.
“It’s unusual to me that ibogaine has been called out specifically, given that it's probably the furthest behind in the process compared to psilocybin and MDMA, which are much closer to approval,” says Alan Davis, a clinical psychologist at the Ohio State University in Columbus.
But scientists also say that the preliminary research on ibogaine has provided intriguing hints about its potential – while also providing cautionary evidence about its hazards. Trump’s orders could help to resolve questions about ibogaine and other psychedelics, they say.
The order is “going to make things easier to advance psychedelic therapies because it lowers barriers that have been slowing progress”, says Rachel Yehuda, a psychiatry specialist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
Strict regulation
Ibogaine, MDMA, psilocybin and other psychedelics are classified in the United States as ‘Schedule I’ substances, a designation that prohibits their distribution and possession except in extremely limited circumstances.
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