What You Need To Know About Hoodia Gordonii

Author: Solomon Rosenstein

Article:
Hoodia gordonii (pronounced HOO-dee-ah) is also called hoodia,
xhooba, !khoba, Ghaap, hoodia cactus, and South African desert
cactus.

Hoodia is a cactus that's causing a stir for its ability to
suppress appetite and promote weight loss. 60 Minutes, ABC, and
the BBC have all done stories on hoodia. Hoodia is sold in
capsule, liquid, or tea form in health food stores and on the
Internet. Hoodia gordonii can be found in the semi-deserts of
South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola. Hoodia grows in
clumps of green upright stems and is actually a succulent, not a
cactus. It takes about 5 years before hoodia's pale purple
flowers appear and the cactus can be harvested. Although there
are 20 types of hoodia, only the hoodia gordonii variety is
believed to contain the natural appetite suppressant.

Although hoodia was "discovered" relatively recently, the San
Bushmen of the Kalahari desert have been eating it for a very
long time. The Bushmen, who live off the land, would cut off
part of the hoodia stem and eat it to ward off hunger and thirst
during nomadic hunting trips. They also used hoodia for severe
abdominal cramps, haemorrhoids, tuberculosis, indigestion,
hypertension and diabetes.

In 1937, a Dutch anthropologist studying the San Bushmen noted
that they used hoodia to suppress appetite. But it wasn't until
1963 when scientists at the Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa's national laboratory,
began studying hoodia. Initial results were promising -- lab
animals lost weight after taking hoodia.

The South African scientists, working with a British company
named Phytopharm, isolated the active ingredient in hoodia, a
steroidal glycoside, which they named p57. After getting a
patent in 1995, they licensed p57 to Phytopharm. Phytopharm has
spent more than $20 million on hoodia research.

Eventually pharmaceutical giant Pfizer (makers of Viagra) caught
wind of hoodia and became interested in developing a hoodia

drug. In 1998, Phytopharm sub-licensed the rights to develop p57
to Pfizer for $21 million. Pfizer recently returned the rights
to hoodia to Phytopharm, who is now working with Unilever. What
you need to know about hoodia

Hoodia appears to suppress appetite Much of the buzz about
hoodia started after 60 minutes correspondent Leslie Stahl and
crew traveled to Africa to try hoodia.

They hired a local Bushman to go with them into the desert and
track down some hoodia. Stahl ate it, describing it as
"cucumbery in texture, but not bad." She lost the desire to eat
or drink the entire day. She also didn't experience any
immediate side effects, such as indigestion or heart
palpitations. Stahl concluded, "I'd have to say it did work."

In animal studies, hoodia is believed to reduce caloric intake
by 30 to 50 percent. There is one human study showing a reduced
intake of about 1000 calories per day. However, I haven't been
able to find either study to actually read for myself and am
going on secondhand reports.

For more information visit:
http://www.beautyandhealthonline.com/product/overview/Hoodia_Gord
onii_Plus

About the author:
Solomon Rosenstein trained in Homoeopathy at The London College
of Homoeopathy between 1989-1992 and post-grad in 1994. He is
registered with the society of Homoeopaths. He is presently
studying for BSc in Biological and Natural Sciences with the
Open University.