A substance found in the roots of a plant hidden deep in the African rainforest could help veterans recover from traumatic brain injuries, a first-of-its-kind study suggests.
Ibogaine, sourced from the iboga shrub, is a naturally occurring psychedelic substance that has been used in shamanic rituals for years due to its dissociative effects.
But now researchers at Stanford University say just one orally administered dose eased mental health problems in 30 US veterans – whose symptoms did not return a month after treatment.
Every year, hundreds of service members suffer from traumatic brain injury (TBI), caused by sudden blows or shocks to the head, often leaving them struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and being unable to return to everyday life.
Doctors said the psychedelic can alleviate these mental health problems by flooding the brain with chemicals that stimulate the growth of new neural connections, which can help people “reprocess” traumatic memories.
Experts called the study’s results “revolutionary” and said it could pave the way for new treatments for veterans suffering the effects of war.
Ibogaine is currently illegal in the US and is considered a schedule I substance similar to heroin and LSD.
But in recent years it has gained popularity as a treatment for mental health problems or addictions, with celebrities like ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Jordan Belfort swearing by its effects for beating addictions to opioid blockers.
Craig, a 52-year-old study participant from Colorado who served in the U.S. Navy for 27 years, said, “I wasn’t willing to admit that I was dealing with TBI challenges. I just thought I had called a few times, until the day I forgot my wife’s name.
‘Since (treatment with ibogaine), my cognitive function has fully recovered.
‘This has resulted in progress at work and greatly improved my ability to talk to my children and wife.’
Sean, a 51-year-old veteran from Arizona who served six combat deployments, added, “Before treatment, I was living in a snowstorm with no vision and a cold, hopeless, lethargic feeling.
‘After ibogaine the storm subsided.’
Ibogaine, from the iboga plant, has been used in shamanic rituals for centuries. But now studies suggest it could also help relieve PTSD in veterans
Wolf of Wall Street Jordan Belfort is among those who claim ibogaine helped him fight an addiction to opioid blockers
For the research, published in NaturopathyThirty US veterans with traumatic brain injuries were recruited and administered between November 2021 and September 2022.
They had an average age of 45, were all men, and were discharged from the military about seven years ago with mild brain injuries.
Of the group, 23 had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – the most common problem in the study – 15 had a depressive disorder and 15 had an alcohol use disorder.
Nineteen admitted they had considered suicide in the past, while seven said they had tried to take their own lives.
Each veteran was sent to Stanford University for evaluation before being sent on a five-day treatment trip to a clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, where the drug is legal.
They were treated at the Ambio Life Sciences clinic, where they were given the drug during treatment sessions.
At the clinic, participants were given the drug orally on the second day, after receiving intravenous magnesium to control blood pressure.
The treatment periods lasted two hours, during which patients received the drug in pill form.
Patients spent two hours in the treatment room, where they were blindfolded and reclined on a lounge chair.
There were staff present to monitor them to ensure no side effects occurred, but otherwise they were ‘self-directed’ while taking the drug.
People who use ibogaine are said to be in a “dream-like” state and detached from reality.
Patients had only one treatment session with ibogaine.
The results of the study showed significant improvements in mental health after administering the drug.
Beforehand, participants had an average disability score of 30.2 based on a World Health Organization (WHO) disability survey, indicating mild to moderate disability.
But after treatment this dropped to 19.9, which indicates that there is no mild disability.
The low score was maintained at a follow-up evaluation one month after treatment.
The veterans also saw an 88 percent reduction in PTSD symptoms, 87 percent reduction in depression symptoms and 81 percent reduction in anxiety one month after treatment.
The authors said their study was the first to show that a single dose of ibogaine could help relieve symptoms of traumatic brain injury.
Pictured above is the iboga plant where ibogaine comes from. It is found in the roots
Amber Capone, the co-founder of VETS – which gives veterans access to therapy and was not involved in the study – told DailyMail.com: ‘This study is a game-changer and possibly the first to show how a single treatment can improve can significantly improve treatment. chronic disabilities resulting from combat-related TBIs.
“In a landscape where there is no FDA-approved treatment for the long-term effects of combat-related brain injury, these findings are not only promising, they are revolutionary.
“These results reinforce our mission at VETS to pioneer and advocate for effective treatments.
“We are witnessing real, tangible hope for our veterans – a breakthrough that could redefine the paths to recovery for those who endured the invisible but deep wounds of war.”
Dr. Nolan Williams, a psychiatrist who led the study, said: ‘No other drug has ever been able to alleviate the functional and neuropsychiatric symptoms of dramatic brain injury.
‘The results are dramatic and we plan to study this connection further.’
Approximately 414,000 US veterans suffered from traumatic brain injuries between 2000 and 2019 – which equates to 20,000 per year.
More than 185,000 veterans are currently receiving care for TBIs in the United States.
About 14.8 percent of veterans with traumatic brain injuries committed suicide between 2006 and 2020, the statistics showed, compared to 14.4 percent among those who were not diagnosed with the condition.
Current treatments for traumatic brain injury and PTSD include a combination of cognitive therapy and antidepressants to help patients live normal lives.
Researchers told DailyMail.com that they also followed patients for several months after treatment and that the results were positive.
They are enthusiastic about the results, but acknowledge the limitations of the study, including the small sample size and the fact that all veterans were willing to try the drug, suggesting that a placebo effect cannot be ruled out.
Psychedelics are becoming increasingly popular for treating PTSD and other mental health conditions in veterans and the general public after showing promise in clinical trials.
This includes ketamine, which research found pulled half of patients out of depression even after antidepressant medications had failed.
Ketamine clinics have popped up across the US, claiming that the drug – originally used as a horse tranquilizer and sometimes as a party drug – can help alleviate mental health problems when administered intravenously.