Ibogaine is a psychoactive substance that occurs naturally in a number of plants. It has a place in African ritual and traditional healing. It was discovered in the 1960's that is is able to interrupt addiction to heroin without withdrawal symptoms. Since then it has been under scientific study to determine how this works and whether it is safe. Because it is hallucinogenic it is a tightly controlled substance. It is not commonly used as a recreational drug as it is expensive and difficult to obtain.

Ibogaine is being introduced to Western medicine and is used in drug rehab clinics around the world including South Africa. It is still very much part of a medical subculture and does not enjoy mainstream support in the drug rehabilitation profession which believes that it potentially has dangerous side effects.

At doses of 3-5 mg/kg of body weight Ibogaine has a mild stimulant effect. Its psychoactive properties occur when a dose of 10 mg/kg or greater is taken. These doses can create sensory disturbances, hallucinations, and other a dreamlike state. After about one to four hours the person slips into an introspective phase characterised by a sense of calm and euphoria. Subjects say that during this phase they are able to meditate and pay attention to their psychological and emotional concerns. They say that this is the phase when their opiate cravings dissipate.

One of the first noticeable side-effects on Ibogaine is a difficult in coordination which makes walking or standing extremely difficult. The person may have a dry mouth, feel nauseous, and start vomiting. These can last from 4 to 24 hours after they first appear. Although Ibogaine has not been directly blamed as a cause of death there are several reported instances where it was involved. There are suggestions that it should not be used in conjunction with psychiatric medication or people with heart conditions.

Proponents of Ibogaine maintain that it is an effective therapy in the treatment of opiate addiction. They have opened drug rehab centers in several countries which offer lay advice on the therapeutic use of this drug. The treatment paradigm suggest using a dose of Ibogaine to interrupt the dependency followed by a period of intensive personal counseling. Repeated doses of Ibogaine are suggested as neccessary. A minority of users relapse on opiates within days or weeks of Ibogaine treatment.

Ibogaine has been shown to be effective in reducing tolerance to opiates. This is of use in dealing with chronic pain. If a low dose of Ibogaine is given along with opiate pain killers they remain effective as users do not develop a tolerance to the dose.

We Do Recover prefers not to refer to drug rehabilitation clinics which offer Ibogaine detox service. The benefits of Ibogaine seem interesting but the drug has not been fully tested and accepted into mainstream medical science. The risk of heart failure and other complications is a strong reason that a drug rehab in South Africa would rather pursue tried and tested options to perform a detox.