Three-decade research development of ibogaine use for the treatment of substance-related disorders: a bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Abstract Objective To evaluate the publications on ibogaine use for substance-related disorders treatment over the last three decades. Method Bibliometric analysis of publications on ibogaine for the treatment of substance-related disorders from 1991 to 2020 using VOSviewer software. We performed a Scopus database search using the terms: ibogaine, 12-methoxybogamine, endabuse, tabernanthe iboga, NIH-10567, and noribogaine. Publications related to ibogaine was compared between the three decades using the Tukey test at 95% confidence level, and the behavior period evaluated considered linear and polynomial regression models. Results Regression models indicated that publications dedicated to ibogaine for treating substance use disorders grew by 5.1 publications per year between 1991–2000 (R2 = 0.993). The period from 2001 to 2020 showed a different expansion compared to the previous period, with fluctuations within a constant flow of publications and an increase in the volume of publications was observed until the middle of this decade (R2 = 0.889). The same tendency was seen in the last decade, 2011–2020 (R2 = 0.949). The US is the most prominent country. Conclusion The present study indicates that, despite differences and fluctuations among the decades analyzed, publications continue year by year and propose future directions for new interventions in the public health.