Introduction to Ibogaine and Its Potential Benefits
AUSTIN ― U.S. Marine Cpl. Dakota Meyer, who once rescued three dozen people during a battle in the war-torn mountains of Afghanistan, was still in his 20s when the trauma came for him.
Alcoholism, flashbacks, rages and midnight panic attacks wrecked his life, his marriage and his ability to parent his daughters.
Then the Medal of Honor recipient traveled to Mexico to be treated with ibogaine — a centuries-old psychoactive drug derived from a plant indigenous to Central Africa, increasingly viewed by the medical and science community as the next big hope in trauma, depression, addiction and brain injury treatment.
Meyer underwent one treatment session in 2019. And his life changed, almost overnight.
What is Ibogaine and How Does it Work?
Ibogaine comes from the iboga shrub and has been used for centuries by medical practitioners and spiritual healers in the plant’s native West Central African nations of Cameroon, Congo and Gabon.
By the early 1900s, the treatment had made it west, through Europe to the U.S., before it was classified for its psychoactive properties as an illegal substance in 1970. Legal ibogaine treatments are available in clinics in Canada and Mexico.
The treatment interacts with brain neurotransmitters and neuroreceptors involved in memory, learning and neuroplasticity. Research suggests the drug can reset brain chemistry, which could help with addiction.
The patient is prepared in advance with a therapist and then is given the drug in a clinical setting, eyes closed. The drug induces a dream-like state that most patients describe as “not adverse, but meaningful,” said Stanford neurosurgeon Achal Singh Achrol, who has researched ibogaine and testified before a Texas House committee in support of the bill.
Studies and Research on Ibogaine
In 2024, Stanford University published a study of 30 special forces veterans who were planning to go to Mexico for the treatment. All of them had brain injuries. Nearly all of them had PTSD. Half had alcohol and substance abuse disorder. Nineteen had been suicidal, and seven had attempted at least once to kill themselves.
One month after receiving the treatment under supervision from doctors and therapists, the veterans reported an 88% decline in their PTSD symptoms, an 87% decrease in depression symptoms and an 81% decrease in anxiety symptoms.
According to the World Health Organization’s disability rating scale, the veterans in the study had an average rating of 30.2 — mild to moderate disability. A month after treatment, that average dropped to 5.1 — no disability.
The study also showed such stark improvement in cognitive functioning that tests suggested the drug can slow or reverse the effects of aging on the brain — which could have implications for dementia research, scientists told Texas House members during a recent hearing.
Legislative Support for Ibogaine Research
On Monday, the Texas House overwhelmingly endorsed the idea with the 141-2 passage of a bill that would fund a grant program for research and medical trials of the treatment. The bill won final House approval on Tuesday.
“Texas stands at a crossroads, facing a tidal wave of heartbreak. Families torn apart by opioid addiction, veterans haunted by invisible scars and countless lives dimmed by despair,” said Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, the bill’s House sponsor. “Ibogaine could be their miracle.”
Senate Bill 2308, by Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, would spend $50 million to fund the grant program through Texas Health and Human Services, although the program would also accept private donations, investments and grants.
Challenges and Controversies Surrounding Ibogaine
State Rep. David Lowe, R-North Richland Hills, voted against the funding.
He said he is skeptical of attempts to make money off veterans.
Lowe, a veteran who said he has been treated for PTSD, added that he believes the federal government, not Texas, should drive ibogaine testing if it has merit.
“I don’t like it when they use veterans with PTSD as a selling point,” he said.
Conclusion
Ibogaine has shown great promise in treating trauma, depression, addiction, and brain injury. With the support of the Texas legislature, researchers and clinicians may be able to unlock its full potential and bring hope to those who have been struggling with these conditions.
“It’s like going through years of therapy in one sitting. It’s a hard reset,” Meyer said in a recent committee hearing. “I‘ve never had an anxiety attack since. It saved my life. It gave my daughters their dad. And I’m now serving as a firefighter, as an author, and an entrepreneur and a contributing citizen to my community. I’m present. I’m purposeful, and I’m alive.”
FAQs
Q: What is ibogaine and where does it come from?
A: Ibogaine is a psychoactive drug derived from the iboga shrub, native to West Central Africa.
Q: How does ibogaine work?
A: Ibogaine interacts with brain neurotransmitters and neuroreceptors involved in memory, learning, and neuroplasticity, and can reset brain chemistry to help with addiction.
Q: What are the potential benefits of ibogaine treatment?
A: Ibogaine has shown promise in treating trauma, depression, addiction, and brain injury, with some studies reporting significant declines in PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms.
Q: Is ibogaine legal in the US?
A: Ibogaine is currently classified as an illegal substance in the US, but legal treatments are available in clinics in Canada and Mexico.
Q: What is the current status of ibogaine research in Texas?
A: The Texas House has passed a bill to fund a grant program for research and medical trials of ibogaine, with the Senate having already passed the legislation.
