How The Hoodia Gordonii Cactus Got Its Fame
The Hoodia Gordonii cactus is a plant which only grows in the Desert of Kalahari in Southern Africa. It belongs to the Asclepiadaceae Family and the Trichocaulon Genus, and is classified as a leafless, spiky succulent (plants which keep water within their stems and roots to survive in extreme hot environments) with the ability to stop the craving for food and water.
Of the 13 known species of Hoodia, only the Hoodia Gordinii Cactus possesses this unique quality. Hoodia plants grow in various parts of South Africa, but Hoodia Gordinii only grows in Namibia.
Hoodia Gordonii Cactus Research
Interest in the unique hoodia gordonii plant has increased over the past decades, and many research studies have been conducted to test its effectiveness, but the first people who have come to make use of it are native San Tribesmen of South Africa.
These tribesmen are similar to the ones in the Gods must be crazy movies. They live by hunting and by gathering plants for food. These people have used these plants for more than 25 thousand years. One tribesman says that he has learned to eat it from his forefathers, and made use of it whenever they go on long hunting trips to avoid feeling hunger pains.
It was only in 1970 that actual scientific research on the hoodia gordonii plants started. The South Africa National Laboratory (SANL) conducted the initial research studies and succeeded in finding the active component in Hoodia Gordonii extract, which was responsible for its appetite suppressing capabilities.
In 1997, the SANL was able to identify the key component, now known as P57, applied for its patent and turned over the license for commercialization to a United Kingdom company name Phytopharm. The UK Company collaborated with Pfizer, in synthesizing the said component, but in 2002, Pfizer released its rights on Hoodia Gordonii because it was difficult to synthesize.
Pure Hoodia Gordonii, however, has long proven its worth as a natural appetite suppressant. The indigenous San Tribesmen have been using it for a very long time for treating indigestion and minor infections.
Because they have been the first ones to use it, they were granted rights over the local supply, and given a percentage of the profits from the sales provided that the plants were sold as hoodia gordonii extract.
Hoodia Gordonii is a protected species in South Africa, and harvest is regulated and allowed only for companies, which have been granted licenses by the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research).
To address the increasing demand for Pure Hoodia Gordinii, more of these plants were cultivated in wide areas in South Africa. It should be known, however, that only full grown Hoodia Gordonii (7 years at least) exhibit the appetite suppressing properties. Also the active component is found in the plant’s inner stem and not on its outer skin, or its spikes.
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