Drug & supplement interaction

Iboga + Crizotinib

Crizotinib brand name: Xalkori.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Iboga has a moderate interaction with Crizotinib. Theoretically, iboga may have an additive effect with drugs that prolong the QT interval.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Iboga and Crizotinib

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

QT INTERVAL-PROLONGING DRUGS

Why this applies to Crizotinib

Crizotinib falls under QT INTERVAL-PROLONGING DRUGS — the group Iboga interacts with.

Theoretically, iboga may have an additive effect with drugs that prolong the QT interval.
Numerous case reports suggest that ibogaine, a constituent in iboga, can cause QT interval prolongation.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the concern with these two together. Crizotinib (Xalkori) can stretch out part of your heart's electrical rhythm, something doctors call QT prolongation. Iboga (really its active piece, ibogaine) has been tied to the very same effect in a number of case reports. When you stack two things that both push in that direction, the heart rhythm risk can add up, and in rare cases that can lead to dangerous, irregular heartbeats.

I want to be honest about the evidence: this is mostly theoretical and based on scattered reports, not strong studies. That said, ibogaine itself carries real heart and death risks and is illegal in the U.S., so I would not combine them. Please talk with your oncologist or pharmacist before doing anything.

References
  1. O'Connell CW, Gerona RR, Friesen MW, Ly BT. Internet-purchased ibogaine toxicity confirmed with serum, urine, and product content levels. Am J Emerg Med. 2015; 33(7):985.e5-6. PubMed
  2. Vlaanderen L, Martial LC, Franssen EJ, van der Voort PH, Oosterwerff E, Somsen GA. Cardiac arrest after ibogaine ingestion. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2014;52(6):642-3. PubMed
  3. Asua. Growing menace of ibogaine toxicity. Br J Anaesth. 2013;111(6):1029-30. PubMed
  4. Hoelen DW, Spiering W, Valk GD. Long-QT syndrome induced by the antiaddiction drug ibogaine. N Engl J Med. 2009;360(3):308-9. PubMed
  5. Paling FP, Andrews LM, Valk GD, Blom HJ. Life-threatening complications of ibogaine: three case reports. Neth J Med. 2012;70(9):422-4.
  6. Pleskovic A, Gorjup V, Brvar M, Kozelj G. Ibogaine-associated ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2012;50(2):157. PubMed
  7. Litjens RP, Brunt TM. How toxic is ibogaine? Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2016;54(4):297-302. PubMed
  8. Grogan J, Gerona R, Snow JW, Kao L. Ibogaine consumption with seizure-like episodes, QTc-prolongation, and captured cardiac dysrhythmias. J Emerg Med 2019;57(4):e99-e104. PubMed
  9. 105383 Knuijver T, Schellekens A, Belgers M, et al. Safety of ibogaine administration in detoxification of opioid dependent individuals: a descriptive open-label observational study. Addiction 2021. PubMed
  10. Steinberg C, Deyell MW. Cardiac arrest after ibogaine intoxication. J Arrhythm 2018;34(4):455-457. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Iboga Also Interacts With Other Medications

Iboga has 1 major, 500 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Crizotinib one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Iboga

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Iboga. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Crizotinib

This page covers Iboga only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Crizotinib page lists 157 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 112 moderate · 37 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Crizotinib page

“Grapefruit tops my worry list for crizotinib (Xalkori), a targeted pill for ALK-positive lung cancer. It blocks the enzyme (CYP3A4) that clears crizotinib, letting levels climb and side effects with them, and it is one of eight major-rated entries among the 157 supplements and herbs on file for this drug.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Crizotinib interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Iboga and Crizotinib Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Iboga
Top half

#560 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Crizotinib
Steady interest

#1,419 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Iboga

What is Iboga?

Iboga
  • Drug and alcohol addiction
  • Opioid withdrawal
  • Spiritual and ceremonial rituals
  • Fatigue and stimulant effects
  • Mood and emotional issues

Iboga is a Central African shrub whose root bark contains ibogaine, a powerful hallucinogenic compound studied mainly for addiction. It carries serious safety risks, including dangerous heart rhythm changes and deaths, and ibogaine is illegal in the United States and many other countries. We do not recommend its use outside of tightly controlled research settings.

Read the full Iboga monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Crizotinib

What Is Crizotinib Used For?

Brand name: Xalkori

Xalkori (crizotinib) is used to treat adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors test positive for the ALK or ROS1 gene abnormality, as confirmed by an FDA-approved test.

Xalkori is also used to treat pediatric patients aged 1 year and older and young adults with relapsed or refractory systemic ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Additionally, it treats adult and pediatric patients aged 1 year and older with unresectable, recurrent, or refractory ALK-positive inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT). Note: Xalkori's safety and effectiveness in older adults with relapsed or refractory ALK-positive ALCL have not been established.

See full Crizotinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Iboga

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Iboga — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

1Major
500Moderate
0Minor
2,328No known interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

500 interactions

Showing 60 of 500 moderate interactions — see all 500 on the Iboga page.

No interaction 2,328 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Iboga and Crizotinib Together: Common Questions

Can you take Iboga with Crizotinib?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Iboga and Crizotinib interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Crizotinib and Iboga?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.