title: "Herbal seizures"--atypical symptoms after ibogaine intoxication: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Misuse of various new psychotropic substances such as ibogaine is increasing rapidly. Knowledge of their negative side effects is sparse.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a case of intoxication with the herbal substance ibogaine in a 22-year-old white man. After taking a cumulative dose of 38 g (taken in two doses), he developed visual memories, nausea and vomiting. He developed a generalized tonic-clonic seizure with additional grand mal seizures. He was treated with midazolam and levetiracetam. Extended drug screenings and computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings were all negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge of the side effects of ibogaine has mainly come from reports of cardiovascular complications; seizures are rarely mentioned and experimental findings are inconsistent. It seems that ibogaine acts like a proconvulsive drug at high doses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.|Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Lorenz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Breuer
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.|Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Burkhard S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kasper
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schwarze
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum Forchheim/Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Juergen M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gschossmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.affiliation: Medical Campus University of OldenburgSchool of Medicine and Health Sciences Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Karl-Jaspers-Klinik , Hermann-Ehlers-Strasse 7, Bad Zwischenahn, D-26160, Germany. helge.mueller@karl-jaspers-klinik.de.|Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. helge.mueller@karl-jaspers-klinik.de.
authors.forename: Helge H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007050:Ibogaine / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008874:Midazolam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D006213:Hallucinogens; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007050:Ibogaine; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008874:Midazolam; D010889:Piracetam