Retrospective chart review (Western University of Health Sciences IRB, exempt; single residential ibogaine treatment centre, Mexico; calendar year 2015) of adults with DSM-5 opioid use disorder (OUD) who presented primarily for opioid detoxification. Exclusion: primary non-opioid problem, polysubstance users whose primary substance was not opioids, missing Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale (COWS) data. Prior to arrival, patients were converted to short-acting opioids and required to discontinue methadone or buprenorphine ≥4 weeks before treatment. Immediate-release (IR) morphine was maintained until ~4 hours before ibogaine. On arrival: physical examination, 12-lead ECG, toxicology, bloodwork. Treatment: oral ibogaine hydrochloride (Voacanga-derived, GMP-certified) at 18–20 mg/kg total dose (100 mg test dose first, remainder within 2 hours; supplemental 1–5 mg/kg permitted at 72h if post-acute withdrawal persisted; clonidine or gabapentin as adjuncts when indicated). Medical supervision throughout (vital signs, telemetry, IV fluids/electrolytes, on-site emergency clinicians). Programme phases: pre-treatment coaching and screening; 4-day inpatient ibogaine detoxification; 3-day residential; optional aftercare. Primary outcome: clinician-administered COWS (0–48) at ~48h and ~24h pre-ibogaine and ~24h and ~48h post-ibogaine. Secondary outcomes: self-reported SOWS (0–64); three-item Brief Substance Craving Scale (BSCS, 0–12). Baseline demographics and Addiction Severity Index (ASI) composite scores described. Analysis: repeated-measures ANOVA, α=0.05, pairwise comparisons. No trial registry entry; exempt IRB; retrospective design.
This synthetic trial has been added to our database because a psychedelic paper (about a clinical trial) references this trial, but no (live) registration can be found.
The study evaluated 50 participants with opioid use disorder undergoing a week-long detoxification protocol at a residential centre. Participants received an oral dose of ibogaine hydrochloride (18–20 mg/kg) under medical supervision, with assessments conducted using the Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale (COWS), the Subjective Opioid Withdrawal Scale (SOWS), and the Brief Substance Craving Scale (BSCS).
Results indicated that 48 hours after ibogaine administration, withdrawal and craving scores were significantly lower than baseline. Specifically, 78% of patients showed no objective clinical signs of withdrawal, and 79% reported minimal cravings for opioids.