Ibogaine is a psychoactive indole alkaloid derived from plants of the Apocynaceae family, including: Tabernanthe iboga, Voacanga africana and Tabernaemontana undulata. When ingested by humans, ibogaine induces a psychedelic response with dissociative and opioidergic properties. The [subjective] experience of ibogaine is often described as biphasic such that the first phase (4 to 6 hours) is …
Clonidine is an antihypertensive drug originally synthesized in the early 1960s by chemists employed under the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. At the time, the chemists intended to develop a peripherally-active adrenergic nasal decongestant to be administered in the form of nose drops. In the process, the chemists sought to modify amidines to fit the chemical …
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree from the coffee family (Rubiaceae) native to Indonesia, Papa New Guinea, Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia. The kratom tree produces leaves containing psychoactive compounds, and when ingested, these compounds are capable of eliciting opioidergic and/or stimulatory effects. Although it is estimated that kratom leaves contain …
Gabapentin is rumored to have been synthesized by chemists in the 1970s in attempt to develop an antispasmodic agent. After its synthesis, rights to gabapentin were acquired by Parke-Davis (a subsidiary of Pfizer) whereafter it underwent clinical trials that evaluated its safety and anticonvulsant efficacy in the treatment of seizures. Clinical trial data indicated that …
Baclofen is a drug that was originally synthesized in the early 1960s by Heinrich Keberle, a Swiss chemist employed by the pharmaceutical company Ciba-Geigy. At the time of its synthesis, Keberle hypothesized that baclofen would prove effective as an antiepileptic agent, however, clinical trials yielded unfavorable results. Though ineffective as an antiepileptic, researchers noticed that …
Opiate withdrawal refers to stopping or tapering down from a substance derived from the opium poppy plant (e.g. narcotic opioid alkaloids). Some major psychoactive opiates include substances like codeine, morphine, and thebaine. Many people consider semi-synthetic drugs like heroin, hydrocodone and oxycodone to be opiates, but they are not direct opiates, rather they are derived …