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By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
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A powerful psychoactive drug long used in spiritual ceremonies in Central and West Africa has become a flashpoint in the Trump administration’s push to accelerate psychedelic medicine.
Ibogaine, a naturally occurring compound derived from the root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub, is being studied as a possible treatment for addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other mental health conditions.
Supporters have described it as a potential breakthrough, particularly for veterans and people with substance use disorders, while researchers warn that the evidence remains limited and the drug carries serious safety risks, including heart problems.
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April directing federal agencies to speed research and review pathways for certain psychedelic therapies, including ibogaine compounds.
The order has drawn support from veterans advocates, conservative figures, former Texas Governor Rick Perry and podcaster Joe Rogan, who has publicly promoted ibogaine and said he shared information about it with Trump before the administration acted.
But the new attention has also raised a central question for regulators and patients: whether a drug with promising early results, but potentially dangerous side effects, can be moved through the federal approval process without letting politics get ahead of science.
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What Is Ibogaine and How Does It Work?
Ibogaine is a psychoactive alkaloid found in the roots of a shrub native to Central and West Africa. It has been used in religious ceremonies for decades, and in recent years has attracted attention from people seeking treatment for addiction and trauma-related conditions.
Andy Letcher, senior lecturer in psychedelics at the University of Exeter, told Newsweek that the drug has deep cultural roots in Central Africa.
"Ibogaine is a potent psychedelic compound that occurs naturally in, and was isolated from, the iboga shrub, Tabernanthe iboga, that occurs in Central Africa," Letcher said. "There, and especially in Gabon, iboga is regarded as sacred, and is used in the syncretic religion known as Bwiti."
Unlike better-known psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD or MDMA, ibogaine is especially associated with addiction treatment. Often describe it as a “pattern interrupter,” advocates say it can reduce drug and alcohol cravings and help some people bypass withdrawal symptoms after a single treatment session.
David Nutt, professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London and one of the world's best-known psychedelic researchers, told Newsweek that ibogaine differs from many other psychedelics because of both its duration and its potential impact on addiction.
"Ibogaine is an atypical psychedelic that lasts over 30 hours," Nutt said. "During that time it can help the brain reconfigure its networks that drive addiction, especially to opioids."
Previous studies have examined psychedelics as potential treatments for addiction, depression, PTSD and other disorders, though experts stress that larger trials are still needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.
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Why Trump’s Administration Is Interested in Ibogaine
The Trump administration has framed its psychedelic medicine push around veterans, treatment-resistant mental illness and the need for new options for people who have not benefited from existing therapies.
Trump’s April executive order directed the Food and Drug Administration and other agencies to accelerate research and review of psychedelic therapies for serious mental illness. The White House said the order would support treatments for conditions including PTSD, depression and substance use disorders, and would include $50 million for state-run research efforts.
The FDA later announced that it was issuing national priority vouchers to three companies studying psychedelic-related treatments and allowing an early-stage clinical study of noribogaine hydrochloride, a derivative of ibogaine, to proceed for alcohol use disorder.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in the FDA announcement that the administration was “accelerating the research, approval, and responsible access to promising mental health treatments—including psychedelic therapies like ibogaine—to confront our nation’s mental health crisis head-on, especially for our veterans.”
Newsweek reached out to the FDA via email for comment.
Joe Rogan and the Push to Mainstream Ibogaine
Rogan has become one of the most visible public figures associated with ibogaine, repeatedly discussing psychedelic therapies on his podcast and highlighting veterans who say they benefited from treatment.
Rogan was present at the White House when Trump signed the executive order. Rogan has previously said he heard about ibogaine treatments during a podcast taping and sent information to Trump. “I sent him that information. The text message that came back: ‘Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let’s do it.’ Literally that quick,” Rogan said.
What Experts Say About Ibogaine's Potential
While some researchers have raised concerns about the politicization of psychedelic drug approvals, others argue that ibogaine deserves greater scientific attention because of its potential as a treatment for addiction.
Nutt also welcomed the Trump administration's efforts to accelerate research into the drug.
"Good plan—especially if he does the same with other psychedelics like psilocybin," he said. "That can also work in addiction and mental illnesses."
Letcher also pointed to emerging evidence that has helped drive interest in ibogaine among researchers, veterans groups and policymakers.
"Anecdotal underground reports, and now some empirical scientific studies, seem to show that ibogaine may be especially effective in treating substance use disorders, especially opiate addiction, PTSD among veterans, and even certain head injuries," he said.
Safety Risks Divide Researchers
Despite growing enthusiasm around ibogaine, experts say the drug's safety profile remains one of its biggest challenges.
Nutt noted that while ibogaine has demonstrated promise in treating opioid dependence, it must be administered with appropriate medical oversight.
"Ibogaine was a medicine for opioid dependence in New Zealand for many years so we know it works," he said. "But it can have cardiac effects and has caused some deaths, so it needs to be used in hospitals with medical—especially cardiac—cover."
Letcher echoed those concerns, describing ibogaine as one of the more controversial psychedelic compounds currently under investigation.
"Of all the psychedelics ibogaine carries perhaps the highest risk potential, especially to people with certain cardiovascular conditions," he said. "Other psychedelics, such as psilocybin, found in so-called magic mushrooms, are much safer and might have made a more obvious candidate for presidential favor."
Letcher nevertheless argued that broader acceptance of psychedelic medicine could have significant benefits if therapies are ultimately shown to be safe and effective.
"Anything that advances a change in attitudes, and the law, towards the legalization of psychedelics must be seen as a good thing," he said, pointing to research suggesting psychedelics may help treat conditions including depression, PTSD, OCD and eating disorders when used in carefully controlled settings.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Sam Stevenson and Emma Lee-Sang
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