Embhodi

The African forest shrub Tabernanthe iboga, more commonly known as iboga, has been translated as “to care for” or “to heal” in various tribal dialects* of the Congo Basin where it plays an important cultural role, especially in Gabon. There, it has been used for centuries as a medicine and sacrament, particularly in the traditional spiritual discipline of Bwiti.People of the Bwiti religion and their predecessors the Bantu tribe have who have used the iboga root bark for at least a century for healing, hunting, rituals, celebrations, and personal transformation. The Bwiti ceremonies developed around the iboga plant include the initiation of adolescents into adulthood, and rituals involving music and dancing that cement community bonds and align the participants with the wisdom and clarity of the unseen realms. Over time, as some of these rituals were shared with foreigners, iboga became similarly beloved and renowned outside of the Bwiti peoples. More recently, people around the world have begun using this treasured plant for psychedelic therapy and alternative addiction recovery treatment.

While it’s not exactly certain how and when iboga made its way from Western Africa to the rest of the world, ibogaine advocate Howard Lotsof first championed iboga in 1962 as an addiction treatment for opiates after it allegedly cured him of his he**in habit. Lotsof would go on to author research papers on the subject and pave the way for FDA clinical trials of ibogaine as an addiction remedy.

Ibogaine (12-methoxyibogamine), the primary active alkaloid produced by i4boga, has shown promise in the treatment of certain substance use disorders. Notably, the compound has been found to reduce the symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal syndrome, post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS),5,6 and cravings for opioids, alcohol, co***ne, and other stimulants.7 Existing pharmacological models of addiction do not comprehensively explain these effects. Ibogaine interacts with multiple neurotransmitter sites throughout the central nervous system8 and has neuroprotective effects on dopamine and motor neurons. It also leads to increased levels of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), a hormone that stimulates the growth of new dopaminergic neurons.9 Ibogaine’s primary metabolite, noribogaine (12-hydroxyibogamine), has a similar pharmacological profile and is thought to support the long-term mitigation of cravings for various substances.

As the Bwiti and their predecessors have understood for centuries, iboga can allow a person to shed their destructive habits so they can be reborn with a much more centered and healthy perspective on life. Thanks to the power of the plant and its Bwiti caretakers, this Gabon national treasure is quickly becoming a treasure of the world.

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