Effects on Specific Neurotransmitter Systems

The in vivo and ex vivo effects of ibogaine on dopamine metabolism in mesolimbic areas of the rodent brain (striatum, nucleus accumbens) are controversial and highly inconsistent. In an attempt to reconcile several contradictory findings, one may note the following. 

Dopamine concentrations are reduced and dopamine metabolites dihydroxyphenyl-acetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA) are increased by ibogaine under certain experimental conditions, for example, when measurements are taken shortly (within 2 h) after ibogaine administration or when relatively high concentrations (s 100 /uM) are used (69,71,76,81,169-173). Reductions in extracellular dopamine concentrations were also observed after administration of a number of ibogaine derivatives, including O-desmethylibogaine (89) and 18-methoxycoronari-dine (97). 

When dopamine is measured at longer periods after ibogaine administration (e.g., up to a week) or low concentrations (e.g., 10 /txM) are applied, 

Interactions of Ibogaine with Neurotransmitter Systems Radioligand Binding Studies 

Nicotinic noncompetitive carbamylcholine-induced NaCl influx 0.02 0.007tc 125 

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