Hoodia review

Hoodia gordonii is a leafless cactus like plant that has the power to hold water (it is a succulent plant). The natural habitat of this plant is partly desert areas of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Angola. It is a small plant like most other desert shrubs. The leaves are spiny and the flowers have the smell of rotten flesh. The migration of pollens occurs through flies. It takes almost four to five years for Hoodia gordonii to bloom to its pale purple flowers and the plant can be harvested again.

The use of Hoodia was known to native African Bushmen for a long time. The traditional native medical practitioners were using this plant as to treat indigestion and minor infections. The use of Hoodia to suppress the hunger while travelling through treacherous ‘Kalahari’ desert was the main reason for its publicity. They were known to cut the stem out and chew the bitter tasting plant.

For the last decade, Hoodia gordonii has been extensively marketed as appetite killer to be used in weight loss program and gained immense popularity.

There are more than 13 subspecies of Hoodia. The sole active ingredient ‘p57’ has been discovered from Hoodia till date. As per recent assertion, only Hoodia gordonii contains the active ingredient.

An anthropologist from Holland started studying the South African Bushmen in 1937. He noticed that they were using Hoodia gordoni to suppress their appetite.

Researchers at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa started studying Hoodia in 1963. During their study, it was observed that the test animals were losing weight after administration of Hoodia gordonii. Eventually CSIR isolated the active ingredient – p57 from the plant. In 1995, CSIR got the patent of Hoodia and sold it to the British Pharmaceutical Company Phytopharm who is at present marketing this product with Unilever.

There is no documented scientific evidence available regarding the use of Hoodia gordonii as appetite suppressant in humans. So, the safety profile and efficacy of Hoodia as a dietary supplement have got to be considered as uncorroborated.

Except for the study by the CSIR, one more animal research on Hoodia is available, which involved direct in injection of purified p57 agent to the brain of mice. The reason given by the researcher that p57 is easily broken down by the liver enzyme while given orally. Although it worked convincingly, the researcher’s view was somewhat unclear about the dose of Hoodia should take to work properly.

At present, there are hundreds of ‘Authentic Hoodia gordonii’ products available in the market. Most of them are fake and do not contain Hoodia or its active ingredient. During the past couple of years, so much Hoodia have been rooted out that country like Namibia and others have given the plant ‘protected status’.

Alkemists Pharmaceutical Company conducted a review of some of the Hoodia products available in the market. It showed that almost half of the products do not contain Hoodia at all.

There is much hype about Hoodia gordonii and the clear picture is yet to come. Till then buy Hoodia from a website that you can trust.