In a study that was featured in Nature Chemistry, researchers at UC Davis have shown that it is possible to manufacture the psychedelic ibogaine without having to harvest tons of the plant in which this substance occurs naturally.
Scientists have long had an interest in studying how ibogaine can be leveraged in mental health care. However, the need to harvest enormous amounts of the plant in Africa known to have this substance has presented the research community with a huge challenge. The recent success by the UC Davis team presents a welcome solution to this hurdle.
The team led by David Olson, who heads the Psychedelics & Neurotherapeutics institute at the university, used an affordable and commonly available chemical called pyridine. Their production method entailed 6-7 simple steps, which is in stark contrast to existing methods that not only had minimal odds of success but also entailed tedious procedures.
Olson explains that ibogaine has a complex chemical profile which makes it challenging to come up with significant volumes of viable analogs. The new method eases the process of creating various analogs, and each new analog allows researchers to examine how tiny tweaks can impact the biological impact of that version. With this advancement, research labs can now conduct the needed tests without putting natural plant supplies at risk of extinction.
Another benefit that scientists hope to make a reality is addressing many of the side effects associated with the consumption of naturally-occurring ibogaine. One such side effect is the cardiac stress documented in people who have consumed the brew. Different analogs can be tested and observed until one that doesn’t trigger heart distress is found. While testing those versions, precautions such as magnesium supplementation are implemented to safeguard subjects.
As making synthetic ibogaine becomes easier with the breakthrough at UC Davis, labs will have an easier time experimenting with different analogs in order to find a version that retains the known therapeutic benefits of the compound while sidestepping many of the serious risks associated with the substance.
Large-scale production of analogs is bound to cut the cost of accessing research-grade material and increase the availability of this compound to scientists who would like to study how the substance can contribute to treating different mental health issues, such as depression and addiction. Hopefully, these experiments will result in formulations that meet the strict criteria regulators like the FDA rely upon before approving a drug for commercialization.
Many companies like Mind Medicine Inc. (NASDAQ: MNMD) (NEO: MMED) (DE: MMQ) are striving to take different psychedelic compounds through the clinical development process. The objective is to have these formulations approved by the FDA and other regulators. These different efforts could soon revolutionize the way mental health conditions are treated around the world.
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