Roman Paškulin M.D., PhD. is a founder of OMI Institute for anthropological medicine and researcher in the Laboratory for Neuroregeneration at the University of Ljubljana. His doctorate thesis “Pharmacodynamics of Entheogene Drugs – Influence on Gene Expression” is a study on the impact of ibogaine on cellular energy metabolism. This scientific approach of evaluation of natural remedies aims to bring traditional knowledge into Western medical use. His special interests lie in the lifestyle diseases, especially addiction and most of his work deals with the »soul healing« herbs. He has conducted field researches on iboga, ayahuasca, and mandrake ethnopharmacology and is author of a series of scientific publications that bridge molecular genetics with physiological, psychosocial and spiritual impact of entheogen use. As a medical hypnosis therapist he offers counseling on the risk reduction and success improvement of altered states related therapies.
Besides ibogaine’s impact on opiate addiction its potential usefulness as a remedy for alcohol addiction has been already described in the scientific literature as well as in many self-reports. Single ingestion of iboga/ibogaine in claimed to provide one’s control over life. How can we in pharmacological words explain such consequent prevalence of intention over obsession?
Pathophyisiology of alcohol addiction and epigenetic basis of its reversal will be presented while other actions of iboga ritual at the treatment of such psychosocial disturbances will be put into perspective. Influence of ibogaine and ethanole on carbohydrate metabolism interfere and restoration of lost energy and consequent higher homeostases by this approach provides personal liberation in the widest sense of word.
Safety concerns have recently slow down the adoption of iboga concept into public health. Do benefits justify risks associated with the single higher dose? Do we have efficient alternative in microdosing?
Grounds for understanding the dependency as a developmental stagnation and addiction as a curable disease will be presented.