Drug & supplement interaction

Iboga + Desipramine

Desipramine brand names: Norpramin, Desipramine, Pertofrane.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Desipramine falls into 4 drug categories that Iboga can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, taking iboga with serotonergic drugs might increase levels of serotonin, resulting in additive effects with serotonergic drugs.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions4
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Iboga and Desipramine

These two interact in 4 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 4 Interactions?

Iboga interacts with whole categories of medication. Desipramine falls into 4 of those categories, so it can interact with Iboga in 4 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

SEROTONERGIC DRUGS

1 of 4

Why this applies to Desipramine

Desipramine falls under SEROTONERGIC DRUGS — the group Iboga interacts with.

Theoretically, taking iboga with serotonergic drugs might increase levels of serotonin, resulting in additive effects with serotonergic drugs.
Ibogaine, a constituent in iboga, has serotonergic effects. Theoretically, combining serotonergic drugs with iboga might increase the risk of serotonergic side effects, including serotonin syndrome and cerebral vasoconstrictive disorders. Monitor patients for signs of serotonin syndrome and other serotonergic side effects if using iboga with serotonergic drugs.
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 gist for desipramine (Norpramin): it's a tricyclic antidepressant that raises serotonin and norepinephrine in your brain. Iboga contains ibogaine, which also pushes serotonin upward. Stack those two together and you could get too much serotonin at once. We call the worst-case version serotonin syndrome, and signs include agitation, a racing heart, sweating, shivering, muscle twitching, and confusion.

Honestly, this is a theoretical concern based on how both act, not something proven in studies, so I don't want to alarm you. But ibogaine on its own carries real dangers, especially heart rhythm problems, and it's illegal in the U.S. Please don't combine these, and talk with your pharmacist or doctor before changing anything.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Glick SD, Maisonneuve IS. Mechanisms of antiaddictive actions of ibogaine. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1998;844:214-26.
  2. Singhal AB, Caviness VS, Begleiter AF, et al. Cerebral vasoconstriction and stroke after use of serotonergic drugs. Neurology 2002;58:130-3. PubMed
  3. Litjens RP, Brunt TM. How toxic is ibogaine? Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2016;54(4):297-302. PubMed
Moderate

QT INTERVAL-PROLONGING DRUGS

2 of 4

Desipramine also falls under QT INTERVAL-PROLONGING DRUGS.

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 combining Iboga and desipramine. Both can affect your heart's electrical timing, something doctors call the QT interval. Desipramine, like other tricyclic antidepressants, can stretch out that interval on its own. Iboga (from its main compound, ibogaine) has been tied to the same effect in a number of reported cases, some of them serious. Stack the two together and the risk of a dangerous, irregular heartbeat may add up.

This isn't about Iboga changing how your body breaks down desipramine. It's that both push in the same risky direction for your heart. The evidence here is mostly case reports, so it's more theoretical than proven, but it's not worth gambling on. On top of that, ibogaine is illegal in the U.S. and genuinely risky. Please talk with your pharmacist or doctor before mixing anything new with desipramine.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
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
Moderate

ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS

3 of 4

Desipramine also falls under ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS.

Theoretically, iboga might decrease the effectiveness of anticholinergic drugs.
In vitro research shows that iboga can inhibit acetylcholinesterase and might increase acetylcholine levels. However, the constituent ibogaine does not appear to have this effect.
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 basic idea with this pairing. Desipramine (Norpramin) is a tricyclic antidepressant, and part of how it works in the body involves anticholinergic activity, meaning it tends to lower the effect of a brain chemical called acetylcholine. Lab studies suggest Iboga might do the opposite by raising acetylcholine levels, so in theory it could blunt some of desipramine's anticholinergic effects.

Honestly though, this is very theoretical. It comes only from test-tube research, and the main compound in Iboga, ibogaine, didn't even show this effect. I'd be far more worried about Iboga's well-known danger of serious heart rhythm changes, since desipramine can also affect heart rhythm. That combination is the real concern. Please don't combine these without talking to your doctor or pharmacist first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Alper K, Reith ME, Sershen H. Ibogaine and the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. J Ethnopharmacol. 2012;139(3):879-82. PubMed
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) INHIBITORS

4 of 4

Desipramine also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) INHIBITORS.

Theoretically, taking iboga with CYP2D6 inhibitors might increase the levels and clinical effects of ibogaine.
Ibogaine, the active constituent of iboga, is a substrate of CYP2D6. One pharmacokinetic study shows that taking the CYP2D6 inhibitor paroxetine prior to taking ibogaine 20 mg increases the exposure to ibogaine and its metabolite noribogaine by 2-fold when compared with ibogaine alone.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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 key thing to understand about this pairing: desipramine can block the CYP2D6 enzyme, and that same enzyme is what your body uses to clear ibogaine (the active compound in Iboga). With desipramine slowing that breakdown, ibogaine and its byproduct noribogaine can build up. In one study, a CYP2D6 blocker roughly doubled the amount of ibogaine in the body. So the concern here is mostly about more ibogaine effects, not changes to your antidepressant.

That matters because ibogaine already carries serious heart rhythm risks, and desipramine itself can affect the heart's rhythm too, so stacking the two could be genuinely dangerous. Honestly, Iboga isn't something I'd recommend at all, and it's illegal in the U.S. Please don't combine these, and talk with your doctor or pharmacist before making any changes.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Henstra M, Wong L, Chahbouni A, et al. Toxicokinetics of ibogaine and noribogaine in a patient with prolonged multiple cardiac arrhythmias after ingestion of internet purchased ibogaine. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2017;55(6):600-602. PubMed
  2. Glue P, Winter H, Garbe K, et al. Influence of CYP2D6 activity on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a single 20?mg dose of ibogaine in healthy volunteers. J Clin Pharmacol. 2015;55(6):680-7. PubMed
  3. Rodriguez P, Urbanavicius J, Prieto JP, et al. A single administration of the atypical psychedelic ibogaine or its metabolite noribogaine induces an antidepressant-like effect in rats. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020;11(11):1661-1672. 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 Desipramine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 1 Moderate 500 No known interaction 2,329 (incl. Desipramine)
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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Iboga or Desipramine

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Iboga or Desipramine, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Desipramine

This page covers Iboga only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Desipramine page lists 253 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major) and Beer (major).

By severity: 16 major · 198 moderate · 39 minor.

Open the Desipramine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Iboga and Desipramine 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Desipramine
Top half

#1,109 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 Desipramine

What Is Desipramine Used For?

Brand names: Norpramin, Desipramine, Pertofrane

Desipramine hydrochloride tablets — sold under the brand names Norpramin, Desipramine HCL, and Desipramine Hydrochloride — are FDA-approved for the treatment of depression in adults. Norpramin tablets and the generic formulations share this same approved indication.

Desipramine tablets are not approved for use in children. Adolescents and elderly patients may be prescribed it in certain circumstances, but at lower doses and under close supervision.

See full Desipramine 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
1 Major 500 Moderate 2,328 No 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

We also checked Iboga against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,328 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Iboga list.

See the full Iboga interactions page
See every supplement checked against Desipramine, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Iboga monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Desipramine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Desipramine, ranked by severity Desipramine drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Iboga and Desipramine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Iboga with Desipramine?
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.
Why are there 4 interactions listed for Iboga and Desipramine?
Desipramine belongs to more than one drug category, and Iboga interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Iboga and Desipramine 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 Desipramine and Iboga?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.