Drug & supplement interaction

Iboga + Levofloxacin

Levofloxacin brand names: Levaquin, Levaquin Injection, Leva-pak.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Iboga has a moderate interaction with Levofloxacin. 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 Levofloxacin

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

Moderate

QT INTERVAL-PROLONGING DRUGS

Why this applies to Levofloxacin

Levofloxacin 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: levofloxacin can stretch out a part of your heart's electrical cycle called the QT interval, and iboga (through its compound ibogaine) appears to do the same thing. When you combine two things that both push in that direction, the effect can add up. A longer QT interval can, in rare cases, trigger a dangerous heart rhythm that causes fainting or worse.

I want to be honest about the evidence here. The worry with iboga is based mostly on scattered case reports, not big studies, so it's somewhat theoretical. That said, ibogaine on its own has been linked to serious heart rhythm problems and deaths, and it's illegal in the U.S. I'd strongly steer you away from it. Please talk with your pharmacist or doctor before mixing anything new with your levofloxacin.

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 Levofloxacin 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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Iboga or Levofloxacin

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 Levofloxacin, 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 Levofloxacin

This page covers Iboga only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Levofloxacin page lists 155 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 13 major · 121 moderate · 21 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Levofloxacin page

“Levofloxacin (Levaquin) is a potent fluoroquinolone antibiotic, and its supplement list deserves real respect, with 13 of the 155 entries rated major. The most everyday hazards are fruit juices.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Levofloxacin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Iboga and Levofloxacin 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Levofloxacin
Top 25%

#435 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 Levofloxacin

What Is Levofloxacin Used For?

Brand names: Levaquin, Levaquin Injection, Leva-pak

Levofloxacin treats bacterial infections in adults, including pneumonia (both community-acquired and hospital-acquired), skin infections, urinary tract infections, kidney infections, chronic bacterial prostatitis, and sinus infections. It is also used after exposure to inhalational anthrax and for plague.

Because levofloxacin carries significant risks, it should only be used for uncomplicated urinary tract infections, acute bacterial worsening of chronic bronchitis, and acute bacterial sinusitis when no other treatment option is available. Always use it only for infections confirmed or strongly suspected to be bacterial.

See full Levofloxacin 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 Levofloxacin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Iboga with Levofloxacin?
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 Levofloxacin 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 Levofloxacin 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.