EFFECTS OF IBOGAINE ON RESPONDING MAINTAINED BY FOOD, COCAINE AND HEROIN REINFORCEMENT IN RATS

The effects of ibogaine (40 and 80 mg/kg, IF), an indole alkaloid prop osed for the treatment of drug abuse, were determined in three differe nt groups of rats responding under an FR10 schedule of food, cocaine o r heroin reinforcement. Ibogaine (80 mg/kg, IF) given 60 min before th e start of the session resulted in a 97% decrease in the number of rat ios completed under the food reinforcement schedule and resulted in a decrease in responding the following day. Neither 40 mg/kg ibogaine gi ven 60 min prior to the session nor 80 mg/kg given 24 h before the ses sion suppressed responding maintained by cocaine infusions (0.33 mg/in fusion). Pretreatment with 80 mg/kg ibogaine either 60 or 90 min prior to the session suppressed cocaine self-administration on the day it w as administered and the longer pretreatment continued to suppress resp onding for 48 h. Responding maintained by heroin (18 mu g/infusion) wa s the most sensitive to the effects of ibogaine. Both 40 and 80 mg/kg ibogaine resulted in an almost complete suppression of responding foll owing a 60-min pretreatment period. Responding maintained by heroin re turned to control levels the day following the administration of iboga ine.