Ibogaine and Cardiac Arrhythmia: The Heart of the Matter

Even at therapeutic doses, ibogaine may cause potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia. Science is beginning to unravel the pharmacological factors that may underlie ibogaine-induced cardiotoxicity.-Ibogaine has shown promising anti-addictive effects in both animal models and human trials, aiding those in search of a novel treatment for addiction and the compulsive behaviors that accompany it. One study found that 91.7% of opioid or cocaine-dependent participants felt ibogaine was useful in addressing substance abuse issues. 1 Despite ibogaine's demonstrated efficaciousness and mainstream acclaim, literature regarding its potential to induce potentially fatal heart arrhythmias and case reports on ibogaine-associated fatalities are accumulating as its pharmacology is further studied.