Then (1979), Plants of the Gods
Ibogaine's Clinical Translation: Schultes's African Documentation Becoming Treatment
Schultes documented Tabernanthe iboga and its use in Bwiti initiation ceremonies in Central Africa, one of the most intensive psychoactive plant experiences documented anywhere. He could not have anticipated that 47 years later, ibogaine would be the focus of a $50 million state research program for veterans.
partially-confirmed
Ibogaine is now at the most advanced point in its clinical trajectory: Stanford study (Cherian et al., Nature Medicine, 2024, n=30 veterans with traumatic brain injury, open-label with no control group): ibogaine given with magnesium, plus other supports, was followed by large improvements in PTSD, depression, anxiety and disability ratings at 1-month follow-up. Texas SB 2308 (2025): $50 million for ibogaine research. Mississippi HB 314 (March 2026): ibogaine research consortium. Further trials are reported to be planned or under way (Source not found; under review). The Bwiti ceremony documentation that Schultes contributed to is the provenance of a compound now being studied for PTSD and opioid use disorder; approval is not in sight without controlled trials. The ethnobotanical documentation preceded the clinical development by 47 years.
Sources
- Cherian et al., Nature Medicine (2024)
- Texas SB 2308 (2025)
- Multidisciplinary ibogaine clinical trial network (2026)