Veterans who received the psychedelic drug ibogaine had improvements in post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety that appeared to last up to one year, a Stanford Medicine study found.
The findings, published Aug. 12 in Translational Psychiatry, suggest the treatment may have lasting benefits. However, researchers cautioned that because the study was observational, it could not establish whether ibogaine caused the improvements.
The study involved 30 special forces veterans with histories of multiple traumatic brain injuries who traveled to Mexico for ibogaine treatment. Participants received oral ibogaine and magnesium infusions under medical supervision. Researchers assessed psychiatric symptoms before and after treatment. Twenty-five veterans completed the one-year follow-up, with evaluations at three, six, nine and 12 months.
Here are five things to know:
1. PTSD remission occurred shortly after treatment. Researchers previously reported that, of the 23 veterans who met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD before receiving ibogaine, 19 no longer met those criteria within days of treatment.
2. Symptoms declined substantially during the first month. At one month, participants reported average improvements of 88% in PTSD symptoms, 87% in depression symptoms and 81% in anxiety symptoms.
3. Many participants maintained remission at one year. Among veterans who achieved remission soon after treatment, the likelihood of remaining in remission at 12 months was 84% for PTSD, 66% for depression and 61% for anxiety.
4. The study had significant limitations. The study was observational, and the sample was small. Additional treatments also complicated the findings. During the 11 months after the first month, 12 participants received therapy or counseling, three used psychotropic medications and 23 took at least one psychedelic substance. As a result, researchers could not determine how much of the sustained improvement came from the initial ibogaine treatment.
5. Safety concerns and regulatory restrictions remain. Ibogaine is a Schedule I drug in the U.S. and has been associated with cardiac complications. The mechanisms behind the reported improvements remain unclear. Researchers plan to study ibogaine in Ukrainian refugees with war-related PTSD.
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