Study of Ibogaine Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Receives $50,000 Grant

Can ibogaine, a psychoactive substance derived from plants, help treat substance use disorders?

This question is being explored by Richard E. Harris, PhD, a professor of anesthesiology and perioperative care in the UC Irvine School of Medicine and head of the Pain in the Brain Lab.

Sponsored by the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute and the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, this neuroimaging study is investigating brain and behavioral changes associated with ibogaine treatment in individuals with opioid use disorder.

Although the psychedelic medicine is currently banned in the U.S., Harris and his research team have partnered with an ibogaine clinic in northern Mexico for data collection.

The six-month study, “Central Neural Actions of Ibogaine in Opioid Use Disorder (OUD),” will involve having 20 OUD patients visit UC Irvine before and after ibogaine treatments. During the visits, Harris will collect psychometric data and will perform functional and neurochemical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate changes in brain function and connectivity.

Gathering this data will address a critical gap in the scientific understanding of how ibogaine operates and its potential to improve OUD symptoms and reduce addiction.

Harris received funding for this work through a $50,000 grant from the Etheridge Foundation.

“The Etheridge Foundation is hopeful that this increased understanding will help advance the acceptance of ibogaine treatment into U.S. healthcare, ultimately making a significant impact on how opioid addiction can be treated.”

Read the full Etheridge Foundation press release.