Indole alkaloids from tissue-cultured Tabernanthe iboga H. Bn.

Tissue lines, selected from explants of Tabernanthe iboga H. Bn. and cultured in shake flasks, produced and released from three to five indole alkaloids into the culture medium. The iboga alkaloids in order of their relative abundance were ibogaine, dihydroxyibogamine, ibogamine, voacangine, and ibogaline. All five compounds have the same basic ring structure as ibogaine, a putative anti-addictive drug. Three of these could consistently be detected in culture medium that was removed and replaced at two-week intervals over periods of at least five months. The nutrient-hormone combination used consisted of Gamborg's B5 medium with 2% w/v sucrose, 2 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxy-acetic acid (2,4-D) and 0.1 mg/l 6-benzyladenine (BA). These results suggest that plant tissue culture procedures can be developed as an economically feasible and environmentally responsible source of ibogaine and other potential anti-addictive drugs.