Brain chemical suppresses alcohol craving

From Rose Hoban via the Voice of America comes another explanation for why ibogaine has addiction interruption properties, via a brain protein called GDNF: glial cell-derived neurotropic factor manufactured by nerve and glial cells. Looks like UCSF scientists have been doing even more amazing groundbreaking animal studies with ibogaine.

"Scientists became aware of GDNF because of side effects from a hallucinogenic drug called ibocaine that became popular in the 1960s. Researchers observed that when people took ibocaine, their brains produced more GDNF. At the same time, their cravings for alcohol virtually disappeared."

There are cautions regarding ibogaine's toxic side effects but the question remains: do the benefits outweigh the risks?

If you want to read more, click Brain Protein Suppresses Craving for Alcohol.

Thanks for tuning in.

YIPPIE Ibogaine Activist Dana Beal Arrested

I met Dana Beal through Howard Lotsof in the mid-70's when Howard and his wife Norma produced "Rock Against Racism" concerts in New York City that were sponsored by the Yippies. Dana was the de-facto Yippie honcho in NYC and had been a marijuana advocate since the 60's, staging famous "Smoke-Ins" and Marijuana Marches from Washington, DC to Greenwich Village.

Of course, Howard told Dana about his ibogaine discovery early on, but it wasn't until 1983 when Howard formed NDA International (I was its first investor, Senior V.P. and board member) that Dana started taking ibogaine's promise of addiction interruption seriously. This was fortuitous because, after pushing for the legalization of marijuana for over 20 years with little success and waning public interest, Dana refocused his activist energies on bringing public awareness to the cause of ibogaine.

His antics at FDA hearings in support of federal clinical ibogaine studies are the stuff of legend (I know; I was there) and he has dedicated so much of his energy and time that I must speak up for him.

Although the news hit the blogs many days prior, the New York Times picked up the story and has, in its own way, legitimized the very questionable arrest and jailing of Dana. Dana deserves our support and his freedom because he has been working to help others.

Here's an excerpt from the Times article:

"A. J. Weberman, a fellow Yippie who helped to popularize the practice of garbology (searching through trash for journalistic clues), said Mr. Beal had told friends that he was traveling with cash because he was planning to finance a clinic. Mr. Weberman said the clinic was to study ibogaine, a derivative of an African shrub that researchers have said can be used to counter addiction.
Mr. Beal is a longtime advocate of ibogaine, which he says produces a trancelike state when ingested that lasts for hours and can be used to interrupt addiction to heroin, nicotine and alcohol."

Click here for the entire article: A Yippie Veteran Is in Jail Far From the East Village

Ibogaine Treatment in Barcelona

From fellow blogger Mary Clare Ditton, hailing from the Huffington Post, comes an article about Eric Taub's personal odyssey with ibogaine, from Florida to Cameroon to Spain, culminating in the starting of an ibogaine center in Barcelona and a university study.

Here's an excerpt:
"Taub is starting an ibogaine center in Barcelona where he plans to offer intensive training to prospective ibogaine providers. He is also seeking the support of the Autonomous University of Barcelona to conduct a study on ibogaine. Since the winter of 1999, the university's research team has been conducting clinical studies giving ayahuasca to healthy volunteers and Taub is excited about the prospect of having the support of the scientific community. 'This is an example of the demand for effective treatment finally being great enough to motivate the scientific community to jump on board. I am hopeful that iboga and ayahuasca, two of the most powerful plant medicines on the planet, will finally be given validation for their effectiveness to treat human disease.' "

Other treatment centers are mentioned, including the Iboga Therapy House in Canada outside of Vancouver.

And the beat goes on...

To check out this story, click A Home for Ibogaine in Barcelona.

Symbiotic relationship between animal intelligence and botanical life

From blogger Sourmonkey who hails from Austin, TX (current hotbed of intellectual wildfire) comes RATTLE THE CAGE, a pulpit of sorts for the monkey's controversial views and flow-of-consciousness poetry.

Here's an interesting and stimulating excerpt from Sourmonkey's musings on "Consciousness Explained" that I feel is worth the read, if you're so inclined (hope you are):

"Why does Cannabis sativa produce cannabinoids like THC and CBD, and why does mammalian physiology also produce endogenous cannabinoids like anandamide? Why do Psychotria viridis, Acacia, Mimosa, and Pomegranite trees produce DMT, and why is this hallucinogenic molecule also produced in the human pineal gland? Why does caffeine mimic endogenous adenosine? Why do nicotine, atropine, and scopolamine mimic endogenous acetycholine? Why do psylocibine, LSA, LSD, and Ibogaine mimic endogenous serotonine? Why do mescaline and cocaine mimic endogenous dopamine? Why do opiates mimic endorphins? Why do secondary botanical metabolites mimic neurotransmitters in the animal central nervous system?"

Check it out: Consciousness Explained.

How fear and loathing have kept an addict's best friend underground

Here's a great article about underground ibogaine treatment from Mara Shalhoup of Creative Loafing in Atlanta, GA that leads off with this intriguing statement:

"Kevin Peace's addiction was no different than others' -- until he found a treatment few addicts knew existed. In his yearlong attempt to spread word of a miraculous treatment, he says he fixed a dozen lives. But he also broke the law and learned how hard it is for a controversial cure to reach the people who need it."

This is a long, detailed account of the trials and tribulations Mr. Peace faced in his quest to help others.

Check out the full article, Ibogaine's Long, Strange Trip