{
  "id": 11224487,
  "title": "Gabon, home to the medicinal plant behind ibogaine, wants a fairer share of its global boom",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/gabon-home-to-the-medicinal-plant-behind-ibogaine-wants-a-fairer",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-01T15:21:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mongabay",
    "slug": "mongabay",
    "url": "https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/gabon-home-to-the-medicinal-plant-behind-ibogaine-wants-a-fairer-share-of-its-global-boom/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Libreville, Gabon — The traditional-medicine market in the capital city buzzes with activity, where iboga, a medicinal plant native to West-Central Africa, is a focal point. The bark powder of Tabernanthe iboga is sold in repurposed clear rum bottles, alongside various tinctures, as traders eagerly share news about the plant's global reach. Two men, upon hearing they were speaking to a journalist, visibly exuded enthusiasm as they described the destination of the root: overseas to clinics, where much of it is transformed into capsules. \"Do the buyers pay well?\" asked the reporter. \"They pay well,\" one of the traders responded confidently. The sellers assured the reporter that all transactions were legal, highlighting the plant's significance in Bwiti (or Bwété) traditions, which originate from Gabon. Iboga's root bark is crucial in these cultural practices, but the alkaloid ibogaine, derived from the root, has garnered global attention as a potential treatment for addiction and mental health disorders. While local sellers claim the payments are good, the significant cost of ibogaine treatment—potentially thousands of dollars per patient—creates a stark contrast in the value chain. Gabonese practitioners and officials contend that this disparity lies at the core of their dispute: the plant and associated knowledge are indigenous to Gabon, yet the monetary benefits are largely accruing in foreign markets. A 2023 report by Interpol revealed that online resellers experienced a nearly fourfold increase in iboga trade between 2021 and 2023, indicating that the issue extends beyond domestic markets. Authorities are concerned about potential overexploitation of the plant and speculate that the market may expand further in the future.",
  "summary": "LIBREVILLE — In the traditional-medicine corner of La Peyrie Market in Libreville, iboga comes in a repurposed clear rum bottle packed to the neck with pale bark powder, set among tinctures in old plastic bottles. Two men appeared within a minute, and once they heard they were talking to a journalist, went half-giddy. They were […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}