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Microdose Ibogaine as Memory Retrieval Nootropic

DotChem

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This is an interesting old paper: Low dose Ibogaine robustly increases memory retrieval by almost 100% in rats.

Facilitation of memory retrieval by the "anti-addictive" alkaloid, ibogaine. Popik P.
Life Sci.1996;59(24):pL379-85.

Abstract:
Anecdotal observations in humans indicate that indole alkaloid ibogaine may have anti-addictive properties. It has been suggested that the therapeutic action of ibogaine may depend upon facilitated access to the past experiences, purportedly influencing the initiation of drug addiction. To determine if ibogaine may facilitate memory retrieval, rats were trained in the Morris maze spatial navigation task. It has been found that
ibogaine (0.25 or 2.5 mg/kg) or O-desmethyl-ibogaine (2.5 mg/kg) but not t-Butyl ibogaine
, administered just before the test trial, facilitated spatial memory retrieval compared to rats receiving placebo treatment. It is concluded that although previously described NMDA receptor antagonistic properties of ibogaine may represent a locus for at least some of its actions, other mechanisms, involving facilitation of memory retrieval may be of importance for its anti-addictive effects.


Dose of 0.25mg/kg to 2.5 mg/kg in rats correspond roughly to 0.04 to 0.4 mg/kg in humans. So for an average 70kg human, this is about a 3 to 30 mg dose which is between 30 to 1000 times lower doses than used in addiction (1000-2000 mg).

Now my question is this: what is exactly "spatial memory"? how is it different from other type of memories like recalling answers to a test. Or is "spatial memory test" used in rats to measure memory retrieval in general since you can't ask rats if they recall what you told them last week unlike humans. If that is the case then this the single most potent and unique nootropic that Universities and academics should make illegal. Like some nootropics are being banned in some top Ivy League schools. I actually agree it would be like cheating if one student can double his memory recall capacity on exam day by taking couple mg of a memory retrieval pill. While other students dumb it out

nb: The highest dose of Ibogaine used by that study (30 mg) is not psychoactive at all. and this is not a memory enhancing smart drug like other cholinergic nootropic smart drugs on the market but "on-demand" memory recalling smart drug. It is kind of different. The former enhances memory storage, the latter increases recalling ability of stored memory.. But we talking about rats.. then again no much difference between rats and humans
 
It's hard to answer many of your questions without a better understanding of the differences between rat and human brains, but in answer to your question about "spatial memory", I would surmise it is most likely to be your second proposed explanation - spatial memory is just used because it's a fairly easy thing to measure compared to other forms of memory (in rats), and probably somewhat representative of other forms of memory. I'm not even sure what else they could measure, realistically. Visual memory maybe? With some kind of coloured buttons of different shapes that release food? Probably would complicate the structure of the experiment.
 
Spatial memory is related to memory about the location of objects around you, like how to navigate around your house/neighborhood/city.

This study looked at spatial memory via the Morris water maze, which essentially puts a rat in a tub of water with a hidden platform. The rat uses certain cues placed on the walls (diffferent colored shapes or other visual differences) to figure out where they are and get to the hidden platform to get out of the water. How fast they learn that, and where they go when the platform is removed, tells you how good their spatial memory is.

For humans, spatial memory is navigating around your home/work, neighborhood and usual destinations, and your city/state/country/world. Obviously you're better with experience, so you're best at knowing your home and work. Spatial memory wouldn't really help on a test, so I don't know that this will become the next big 'smart' pill.
 
It's merit as a nootropic, or lack thereof, doesn't mean it is without utility; even if it just helps us better understand the inner workings of the brain. Although I could easily see it being used as a nootropic to boost creativity or lead to better treatments for dementia.

And as Vastness points out, just because this study measured spatial memory doesn't mean the effects are limited to it.
 
^ you're right.. That's what I think. There is no way the study can measure the effects on memory retrieval other than spatial memory in rats. But I think Ibogaine probably has more effects than on spatial memory. The interesting thing is the low dose that give Ibogaine nootropic type effect is 100s x lower than "psychoactive" doses!)

The reason I think this guy chose to study Ibogaine effects on spatial memory in rats is there is no way to test his own hypothesis with rats as he said:
It has been suggested that the therapeutic action of ibogaine may depend upon facilitated access to the past experiences, purportedly influencing the initiation of drug addiction
How do you ask rats about their "past experiences"? (don't mention Cats if you do ask them!!) And since people who have used Ibogaine reported recollection of past experiences (sometimes as back as their own birth!!!!), so I guess that guy was trying to test that in rats so he used Morris maze test.

But the interesting part of this article is that the doses that increases (double) recall of spatial memory in rats is 100x times lower than the dose used for addiction (in rats and in humans). This dose (30mg) is not psychoactive at all. In fact, a study in new Zealand used 20 mg ibogaine hydrochloride in 21 volunteers and there were no stimulant or any other psychoactive effects or moods or cognition. They reported only a slight increase in spatial attention.
Effects of low dose ibogaine on subjective mood state and psychological performance. Forsyth et al. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27180314

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:


Root bark from Tabernanthe iboga has been used traditionally in West Africa as a psychoactive substance in religious rituals. In smaller doses it is reported anecdotally to have stimulant properties.
AIM OF THE STUDY:

To evaluate the influence of a single 20mg ibogaine dose on psychological variables reflecting subjective mood state and a range of cognitive functions.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:

21 healthy male volunteers received single 20mg doses of ibogaine after 6 days pretreatment with double-blind paroxetine or placebo. We compared responses to a battery of psychometric tests and subjective mood ratings performed before and 2h after ibogaine dosing, and assessed relationships between changes in test scores and concentrations of active moiety (the sum of molar noribogaine and ibogaine concentrations). Psychological tests were chosen based on responsiveness to opioid and serotonergic ligands.
RESULTS:

Ibogaine had minimal influence on psychological tests and mood ratings. The ability to selectively ignore distracting spatial information showed some evidence of modulation; however because this effect was limited to the less challenging condition calls into question the reliability of this result.
CONCLUSION:

We were unable to identify stimulant effects after single 20mg doses of ibogaine. Future research is needed to confirm whether active moiety concentrations impact selective attention abilities while leaving other cognitive functions and mood state unaffected.


I wish they tested their subjects on memory retrieval. A positive outcome would've confirmed the study in OP in rats Morris maze and may be show that it is more than spatial memory Ibogaine increased since it is well known from people who used Ibogaine they recall "past experiences" not just spatial but short and long term memory as well..

So yeah, I think microdose Ibogaine has tremendous potential not only as a safe nootropic but also for Alzheimers and other dementia treatment
 
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