Family: Tryptamines
Iboga is traditionally used in the congo rainforest and is a central support in many local cultures and religions. People in Gabon attribute the peaceful nature of the country compared to all of its surroundings to the Bwiti beliefs and the influence of iboga. We would like to interject a personal opinion here, that the European influence (and capitalism) in the region has been destructive and disasterous for the local population, and sourcing iboga on the black market often seems to propagate the exploitation of Africa by the ‘Western’ industrial society. Please be conscious of your actions if you decide to order a sacred plant that was probably stolen and illegally exported from Gabon. Exportation of iboga from Gabon is specifically defined as poaching and is illegal according to Gabonese law.
In France, at the beginning of the early 20th century, iboga was prescribed to people to treat fatigue and it became popular with European athletes. Today, it is banned from the olympics as a doping substance. It is also used mainly to treat addictions, often in the underground, since it is not accepted by modern medicine in most countries. There are, however, some addiction clinics that use iboga treatment with great success.
Dosing and effect intensity depend on situation; personal constitutions vary, and a per- son’s first contact with iboga is typically exceptionally powerful, even with a low dose. We strongly recommend that if someone wants to eat iboga, they should find someone who is experienced to guide them. Potentially, a trip to Gabon where they can interact with the root culture and discover a way to participate instead of just take.
Iboga causes low body temperature, low blood pressure, and lowered heart rate. This condition triggers heart failure in some people who have congenital heart defects. It is very rare, but people sometimes do not live through the experience. Conventional wisdom says that an ECG screening for “long QT” syndrome can pick out people who might be at risk, but there is not much evidence for this.
