Ibogaine root (left), which has psychedlic properties, can be processesd into either a liquid or powder form. Credit: Nigel Dodds/Alamy The potent and long-lasting psychedelic ibogaine is something of a scientific mystery, in part because it is one of the most tightly controlled drugs in the United States. But a new directive from US President Donald Trump aims to change that. On 18 April, Trump signed an executive order to streamline research into ibogaine and other psychedelic compounds and to make it easier for people with certain illnesses to access these drugs. The move has been welcomed by researchers who see potential for the drugs in treating conditions such as addiction, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Clinical trials have yielded some encouraging results for drugs such as MDMA , also known as ecstasy, and psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound in magic mushrooms .…