I recently discovered Ibogaine / Iboga in my general psychedelics interest. It is a shrub from the Congo basin of Africa that has been used for thousands of years in healing and ceremony, stemming from the Pygmy and Fang cultures, in traditional Bwiti practices. It is still used by those that practice Bwiti, and today, it is also used in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Zaire, and Gabon.
RESEARCH
In my explorations, I started learning about all the recent studies related to PD! And that some of these studies are at least 5 years old. It not only helps pwp with mood (the way psilocybin ("magic mushrooms"), it supports the regeneration and growth of dopamine cells?! Some folks with PD have said that it has helped reduce their tremors and their toe curling.
"In other research, neutrophic factors, specifically GDNF, have been shown to cause sprouting of dopaminergic fibers, with a resulting improvement of clinical symptoms of Parkinson’s in experimental animal models and humans.ibogainealliance.org/ibogai...
"Ibogaine Administration Modifies GDNF and BDNF Expression in Brain Regions Involved in Mesocorticolimbic and Nigral Dopaminergic Circuits"
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
"Treatment of Parkinson’s disease with trophic factors"
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
"MINDCURE Discovers Potential Opportunity for Ibogaine-Assisted Psychotherapy to Treat Neuropathic Pain and Traumatic Brain Injury"
newswire.ca/news-releases/m...
PARKINSON'S COMMUNITY
I was extra thrilled to see and hear that some folks on this forum have been using Ibogaine and had a lot to share (which I am grateful for!):
healthunlocked.com/cure-par...
healthunlocked.com/cure-par...
healthunlocked.com/cure-par...
MORE ABOUT IBOGAINE / IBOGA:
Ibogaine has four forms:
1. Iboga root Powder: This is the plant in its raw form. You need to consume a lot of it!! It is also harder to digest than the extracts.
2. Iboga TA extract (TA = Total Alkaloids): Iboga TA is a full spectrum extract containing all of the 14 alkaloids found in the Iboga plant. TA is created via a simple chemical extraction process. For those who prefer a natural experience with all the alkaloids present – without having to consume copious amounts of root bark – TA iboga is the best option.
3. Iboga PTA (PTA = Pure Total Alkaloids): It only contains the 4 primary alkaloids and is much gentler on the body. PTA involves another chemical process to further concentrate the alkaloids. PTA has just three of the iboga alkaloids: ibogaine, ibogaline and ibogamine. Typically, PTA contains 96% ibogaine, with the remainder divided between ibogaline and ibogamine.
3. Ibogaine HCL (HCL= hydrochloride): This refers to ibogaine hydrochloride – the ibogaine molecule minus any entourage potentiating effect of the other molecules. Ibogaine HCL is the most likely candidate molecule for medical trials with ibogaine, as it is the most controllable. It is also the most expensive.
The whole rootbark has the most visual and spiritual experience, TA being the second and as it's purified more closely to solely ibogaine it contains less of the residual alkaloids and less of the plant spirit. But in exchange the purified extracts have less body load, less issues with discomfort, but goes up a ton in price due to the intensive process used to refine it and tiny amount of product received at the end.
It seems that a handful of folks on this forum have found the HCL version to be effective in alleviating PD symptoms. Others are using other forms and find it beneficial.
Interactions:
I couldn't find anything about interactions with Sinemet but folks on this forum have said that there isn't. The biggest concern is using Iboga/Ibogaine with any heart related meds.
webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingre...
More on Ibogaine:
thethirdwave.co/psychedelic...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibogaine
doubleblindmag.com/ibogaine...
NOTES ON PROTOCOL
Here is what I have gathered from the other Ibogaine discussions:
Therapeutic dose for PD, felt after 2 weeks:
Take twice a day, take with Breakfast and with Lunch; avoid taking at night.
Dosage:
TA form: 15-20mg
HCL: 4mg
** Note, this is a MICRODOSE. When used in African ritual and ceremony, dosages are much, much higher, by at least 25 times!
Like most supplements, good to take a break... some think after 2 weeks, other think after 4, others 6 to 8 weeks. It takes 6 weeks for Ibogaine to completely flush out of your system.
LEGAL STATUS
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal...
Canada: Controlled: Health Canada added ibogaine to the Prescription Drug List (PDL) in 2017, meaning that the drug can only be obtained legally with a medical prescription. In the past, ibogaine has been seized from several providers amid concerns over heart risks.
United States: Illegal: Ibogaine is classified as a Schedule I-controlled substance in the United States, and is not approved there for addiction treatment (or any other therapeutic use) because of its hallucinogenic, neurotoxic, and cardiovascular side effects, as well as the scarcity of safety and efficacy data in human subjects.
UK: Illegal: Ibogaine is not identified by name in the UK's Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. However, since 2016, it falls under the provisions of the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. The act makes it a criminal offense to import, export, produce, or supply any substance that 'is capable of producing a psychoactive effect in a person who consumes it.' It also makes it illegal to possess a psychoactive substance in a prison or other custodial institution. To date, there have been no cases of people being prosecuted in relation to possession of ibogaine.
New Zealand: Only place it is fully legal: Ibogaine was gazetted in New Zealand in 2009 as a non-approved prescription medicine.
Portugal: Only place it is decriminalized: In 2001, Portugal decriminalized the possession of all drugs, which includes ibogaine
Uruguay: Legal to possess; Sale, Transport + Cultivation is Controlled: Uruguay is one of a few countries that never criminalized the possession of drugs for personal use. Since 1974, the law establishes no quantity limits, leaving it to the judge's discretion to determine whether the intent was personal use
WHERE TO SOURCE
This is one of the links that keeps popping up, and through my networks, have confirmed that it is a credible source. I have not personally ordered from them myself, but may do so in the future.
I find that doing deep internet searches can help lead to sources of Ibogaine. Here in Canada there seem to be a handful of "Ibogaine Clinics". They are mainly used to help those with addiction issues. I tried emailing a few of them to see if they would sell me some Iboga but have not heard back. There are also storefront dispensaries out west in BC that sell psychedelics... I haven't checked them out yet but that would be another good place to look. In the US, I imagine similar dispensaries to be in Oregon or California where psilocybin has been decriminalized or legalized. Apart from scouring the www, facebook has been helpful in finding groups that are focused on Ibogaine. From there I found a guy in Calgary, who seems to have connections to someone in Cameroon. This is where I will get it from. It does take a little bit of risk and trust, but when big pharma and the government rules the medicine world, this is where we have to turn to sometimes.
Will have some for my dad soon, will let you know how it goes.
Dopamine agonists or levodopa?
Ozempic effects dopamine?
What comes second to dopamine?
Does Melatonin Deplete Dopamine?
Dr. Jonathan Sackner-Bernstein & Dopamine 
