Tabernanthe iboga (iboga) is an indigenous plant in Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo. Its root bark contains the psychoactive substance ibogaine, an indole alkaloid that “packs a serious psychedelic wallop” and reportedly acts on the brain “like a hybrid of PCP and LSD”.The cover story of this month titled: “Pharmaceutical Roots: ‘Breaking open the head’ with ibogaine hydrochloride” contributed by LGC Mikromol. Although ibogaine has been illegal in the US since 1967, both anecdotal reports and research studies suggest it is a highly promising candidate as a treatment for addiction. For example, one small, year-long study in New Zealand reported significant success in keeping opioid-dependent participants off drugs. Meanwhile, a programme that treated 51 US combat veterans for trauma-related psychological and cognitive impairment with ibogaine and 5-methoxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine reported “significant and very large reductions” in a range of symptoms, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The edition has a featured article entitled “Speeding up development of a hypoallergenic haircare formulation” contributed by Asynt.
If you’re carrying out reactions under pressurised conditions in your laboratory, at the end of the day your safety is your responsibility. Yes, your department ordered a fabulous new pressure reactor that you’ve been itching to get your hands on – but how does the specification meet the needs of your chemistry? Might someone have modified the setup? Maybe someone dropped it and bent an inlet/outlet valve? Whether you’re working with a small single cell pressure reactor or a more complex multi-cell pressure reactor system it is essential to put user safety first.
The cover story of this month titled: “8 Simple steps for pressure safety in your laboratory” authored by Kirsty Waight, Marketing Manager, Asynt Ltd. Check for guidance from chemical laboratory safety signs posted and make sure that you’re aware of all current applicable laboratory safety rules.
