Iboga root bark cut with fillers: can you tell?

Whether iboga root bark has been cut with fillers is something you can hardly see with the naked eye in ground powder. If wood is ground into the bark, no customer will notice. You only know for sure with a test extraction: it shows you how much total alkaloid (TA) is really in it.

Many people who come to me want to change something in their lives with iboga. For that, they need goods they can rely on. That is why I write openly here about what can be checked and what cannot.

Why can't you see cut iboga root bark?

Almost everything sold on the market is already ground. If wood gets in during grinding, it becomes a fine powder together with the bark. After that, nobody can tell them apart.

You often read that you can recognise good goods by their colour or smell. With powder, in my experience, this is not a reliable sign. Anyone who promises you otherwise is making it too easy for themselves.

How do you find out how much TA is in it?

If you plan to buy a larger amount, you can extract a small amount yourself beforehand. Then you know how much TA the goods contain. If much less comes out than expected, something is wrong with the bark.

I describe how such an extraction works on the page How can I check the quality of iboga?. For a small order the effort is usually not worth it, for a large one it is.

What does a lab test show?

In 2026 we had our goods tested by a chemist with a thin-layer test. The goods are placed next to a reference sample. You can see whether the typical iboga alkaloids are there and whether the goods can keep up with the reference sample.

This test does not give exact percentages. It is a comparison, not a full laboratory analysis. For the question "genuine or cut", it is still a good indication.

What can you look out for when buying?

• Ask about the origin. An honest dealer knows where their bark comes from.
• Ask whether and how the goods were tested.
• Before a large order, buy a small amount first and test it.

That is exactly why we have our own field in Ghana. That way we know where the plants come from. Read more under Where and how is iboga grown?.

Frequently asked questions

Can I recognise cut iboga root bark by its smell?
With ground powder, hardly. Wood that has been ground into the bark is noticeable neither by looking nor by smelling.

What is TA?
TA stands for total alkaloid. It is an extract from the root bark that contains the plant's alkaloids. How much TA can be obtained from a bark says a lot about its quality.

Is a test extraction worth it for small amounts too?
Usually not. It is worth it above all if you want to buy a larger amount and want to be sure beforehand.

Where can I find good root bark?
What I look for when buying is described under Where can I buy high-quality iboga?.

More on this topic: IBOGA quality, how can you determine it?