COMPARISON OF THE HALLUCINOGENIC INDOLE ALKALOIDS IBOGAINE AND HARMALINE FOR POTENTIAL IMMUNOMODULATORY ACTIVITY

The immunomodulatory potential of the indole alkaloids ibogaine and ha rmaline was examined in a panel of in vitro immune function assays. Th ese assays were chosen to assess T-cell regulatory and effector functi on, B-cell function, macrophage function, and natural killer-cell func tion. The in vitro exposure to either ibogaine or harmaline resulted-i n a dose-related suppression of all immune functions examined except m acrophage function. This suppression was noted at various concentratio ns in different assays, but was generally only associated with high co ncentrations (10-100 mu mol/l).