title: Anti-addiction drug ibogaine inhibits hERG channels: a cardiac arrhythmia risk.
abstract: Ibogaine, an alkaloid derived from the African shrub Tabernanthe iboga, has shown promising anti-addictive properties in animals. Anecdotal evidence suggests that ibogaine is also anti-addictive in humans. Thus, it alleviates drug craving and impedes relapse of drug use. Although not licensed as therapeutic drug, and despite evidence that ibogaine may disturb the rhythm of the heart, this alkaloid is currently used as an anti-addiction drug in alternative medicine. Here, we report that therapeutic concentrations of ibogaine reduce currents through human ether-a-go-go-related gene potassium channels. Thereby, we provide a mechanism by which ibogaine may generate life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and - pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Xaver
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Koenig
authors.affiliation: Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and - pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kovar
authors.affiliation: Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and - pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boehm
authors.affiliation: Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringerstrasse 13A, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sandtner
authors.affiliation: Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and - pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Karlheinz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hilber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007050:Ibogaine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055502:Secondary Prevention
chemical_list: D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; C496884:KCNH1 protein, human; D007050:Ibogaine