Translated from our German original by AI. The German text was researched, written, and edited by the Psychedelia Foundation team and remains the authoritative version.
Psychedelia Foundation study shows sustained abstinence after a novel intervention
A new scientific publication describes, for the first time, a longitudinally documented case of sustained abstinence in severe ketamine use disorder following an ibogaine-assisted treatment. The case study “Sustained abstinence in severe ketamine use disorder following ibogaine treatment” by Sergio Pérez Rosal, Sonya Faber, and Markus Backmund was overseen and carried out by the charitable Psychedelia Foundation in Berlin.
Ketamine use disorders represent a growing clinical challenge. Severe cases are often accompanied by pronounced craving, high relapse rates, and, so far, limited pharmacological treatment options. The present paper documents the course of a 30-year-old patient with a five-year history of severe polysubstance dependence, including daily intranasal ketamine use of 2 to 3 grams as well as additional use of cocaine and alcohol. A recurrent depressive disorder was also present.
Despite previous conventional psychiatric treatment, considerable craving symptoms persisted. The patient then received an ibogaine-assisted intervention within a structured 13-day inpatient program in Mexico. Treatment was carried out under continuous medical monitoring, including ECG checks. An initial 800 mg of ibogaine hydrochloride (10.1 mg/kg) was administered, followed by two supplementary booster doses of 300 mg each (3.8 mg/kg).
After the intervention, the patient reported an immediate absence of craving for the substances he had previously used. Over a follow-up period of about 17 months, repeated toxicological tests and standardized psychometric assessments showed sustained abstinence from ketamine, cocaine, alcohol, and other previously misused substances.
Marked improvements in mental health and quality of life were documented alongside this. Depressive symptoms were substantially reduced (PHQ-9 scores between 0 and 3), while anxiety burden and quality of life also improved (WHOQOL-BREF from 55 to 71). About eleven months after the first intervention, the patient additionally received a medically supervised fractionated ibogaine treatment.
The authors describe this case as the first longitudinally documented report of sustained abstinence in severe ketamine use disorder following ibogaine treatment. The findings extend previous research on ibogaine, which has so far focused predominantly on opioid use disorders.
As possible explanations, the authors discuss various pharmacological properties of ibogaine and its active metabolite noribogaine. These include acute NMDA antagonism as well as effects on serotonergic (inhibition of the serotonin transporter) and opioidergic signalling pathways (kappa opioid receptor agonism), which together may contribute to a stabilisation of the reward system. Increased neuroplasticity mediated by elevated GDNF/BDNF expression is also discussed as a factor in long-term behavioral change. These mechanisms are the subject of further research and need to be examined in controlled clinical trials.
The publication does not constitute proof of efficacy in the sense of a randomized clinical trial. It provides a detailed single-case documentation with objective longitudinal data. The authors stress the need for further controlled studies to systematically examine safety, efficacy, and appropriate medical conditions for the possible use of ibogaine in ketamine use disorders.
The Psychedelia Foundation Berlin is committed to the scientific study of psychedelic substances and their potential significance for medicine and psychotherapy. With this work, the foundation helps to open up new research fields on an evidence-based footing and to lay the groundwork for future clinical studies.
