India, April 27 -- President Donald Trump has signed an executive order accelerating research and access to psychedelic therapies, and one drug has emerged at the centre of the debate: ibogaine, a powerful psychoactive compound derived from an African plant root.

What Is Ibogaine and Where Does It Come From?

Ibogaine is extracted from the root bark of Tabernanthe iboga, a shrub native to Central Africa. For centuries, indigenous communities in Gabon and neighbouring regions have used it in spiritual ceremonies.

Its entry into modern medicine has been slower - and far more contested. Scientists believe the compound may work by simultaneously acting on multiple brain systems, potentially "resetting" the neural pathways connected to addic...