Time-dependent interactions between iboga agents and cocaine

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of iboga agents on cocaine-induced hyperactivity. Both inhibition and enhancement of cocaine-induced activity by ibogaine have been reported. In the present study rats were treated with either ibogaine (40 mg/kg, i.p.), noribogaine (40 mg/kg, i.p.), 18-methoxycoronaridine (40 mg/kg, i.p.), or saline. 1 or 19 h prior to the administration of cocaine (20 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline. Motor activity was monitored thereafter for 3 h. All three iboga agents had acute inhibitory effects and delayed potentiating effects on cocaine-induced hyperactivity. These time-dependent effects, which could not be attributed to the motor activity induced by the iboga agents alone, account for divergent results reported in the literature. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.