Nexus - 0405 - New Times Magazine-pages

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to extinguish certain conditioned responses related to the drugs reduction of cocaine-induced motor activity and other effects they abuse. (1994). Research by Broderick et al. supported the findings of Early data suggest that, for many patients, a period of approxi- Sershen et al. (1992), that ibogaine reduced cocaine-induced mately two years of intermittent treatments may be required to motor stimulation in the mouse. Sershen (1993) also demonstrat- attain the goal of long-term abstinence from narcotics and stimu- ed that ibogaine reduced the consumption of cocaine in mice. lants. The majority of patients treated with ibogaine remain free Glick (1992) and Cappendijk (1993) discovered in the animal from chemical dependence for a period of three to six months model that multiple administrations of ibogaine over time were after a single dose. Approximately 10 per cent of patients treated — more effective than a single dose in interrupting or attenuating the with ibogaine remain free of chemical dependence for two or self-administration of morphine and cocaine, supporting Lotsof's more years from a single treatment, and an equal percentage findings in human subjects (1985). return to drug use within two weeks after treatment. Multiple Popik et al. (1994) determined ibogaine to be a competitive administrations of ibogaine over a period of time are generally inhibitor of MK-801 binding to the NMDA receptor complex. more effective in extending periods of abstinence. MK-801 has been shown to attenuate tolerance to opiates (Trujillo Ibogaine was first reported to be effective in interrupting opiate and Akil, 1991) and also to alcohol (Khanna et al., 1993). MK- narcotic dependence disorders in US 801 has also shown a blockade of Patent No. 4,499,096 (Lotsof, 1985), "reverse tolerance" of stimulants cocaine dependence disorders in US (Karler et al., 1989). Patent No. 4,587,243 (Lotsof, 1986), and Tbogaine's effects on dopamine (a poly-drug dependence disorders in US substance hypothesised to be Patent No. 5,124,994 (Lotsof, 1992). responsible for reinforcing pleasur- The initial studies demonstrating ibo- able effects of drugs of abuse) and gaine's effects on cocaine and heroin the dopamine system were found ependence were accomplished in a by Maisonneuve et al. (1991), series of focus group experiments by Broderick et al. (1992) and Sershen Howard S. Lotsof in 1962 and 1963. et al. (1992). Ibogaine binding to Additional data on the clinical aspects the kappa opiate receptor was of ibogaine in the treatment of chemical reported by Deecher et al. (1992). ependence were reported by Kaplan Thus, a broad spectrum of mech- (1993), Sisko (1993), Sanchez-Ramos anisms is evident by which ibo- and Mash (1994), and Sheppard (1994). gaine may moderate the use of sub- Prior to ibogaine's evaluation for the stances as diverse as opiate nar- interruption of various chemical depen- cotics, stimulants and alcohol. encies, its use was reported in psy- chotherapy by Naranjo (1969, 1973), and at the First International Ibogaine Conference held in Paris (Zeff, 1987). The use of ibogaine-containing plants has been reported for centuries in west- ern Africa in both religious practice and in traditional medicine (Fernandez, 1982; Gollnhofer and Sillans, 1983, 1985). An overview of the history of ibogaine research and use was published by Goutarel et al. (1993). Claims of efficacy in treating depen- dencies to opiates, cocaine and alcohol in PROGRESSION OF EFFECTS Ibogaine's actions are understood to progress in three stages: (1) A four-to-six-hour period emulating dreaming, in which intense sounds, lights, visual pre- sentations and life-review thoughts or processes are experienced. (2) A cognitive or intellectual period in which those experiences of the first phase are subjected to a high-energy evaluation process, then integrated into a new ego The Tabernanthe iboga plant, source of ibogaine. uman subjects were supported in preclinical studies by structure. researchers in the United States, the Netherlands and Canada. (3) A period of residual stimulation, eventually resulting in Dzoljic et al. (1988) were the first researchers to publish ibo- sleep. Lotsof describes this final phase as comprising three-to- gaine's ability to attenuate narcotic withdrawal. Stanley D. Glick four-hour sleep periods over a 24-to-40-hour duration. The sub- et al. (1992) at Albany Medical College published original ject rises from this in great form and with a new self-confidence. research and a review of the field concerning the attenuation of By way of comparison, in a study of 150 people "rescued from narcotic withdrawal. Maisonneuve et al. (1991) determined the death", American cardiologist Michael Sabom noted the following harmacological interactions between ibogaine and morphine, and general progression as being typical of the near-death experience: Glick et al. (1992) reported ibogaine's ability to reduce or inter- (1) Autoscopic phase: subjective feeling of being dead; peace rupt morphine self-administration in the rat. Woods et al. (1990) and well-being; disembodiment; visions of material objects and found that ibogaine did not act as an opiate, and Aceto et al. events; (1991) established that ibogaine did not precipitate withdrawal (2) Transcendental phase: tunnel or dark zone; evaluation of signs or cause dependence. past life; light; access to a transcendental world/entering the light; Cappendijk and Dzoljic (1993) published ibogaine's effect in encounters with other beings; return to life. reducing cocaine self-administration in the rat. Broderick et al. Interestingly, many of these individuals underwent a spectacu- (1992) first published ibogaine's ability to reverse cocaine- lar transformation during their NDEs. Many who reported seeing induced dopamine increases and, later, reported on ibogaine's their whole lives flash before their eyes no longer feared death; events; (2) Transcendental phase: tunnel or dark zone; evaluation of past life; light; access to a transcendental world/entering the light; encounters with other beings; return to life. Interestingly, many of these individuals underwent a spectacu- lar transformation during their NDEs. Many who reported seeing their whole lives flash before their eyes no longer feared death; 30 + NEXUS AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 1997