Hoodia Gordonii
Hoodia Gordonii is a popular and natural appetite suppressant. There are 13 different types of Hoodia in the Apocynaceae flowering plant family. Although it looks like a cactus, Hoodia Gordonii is actually a succulent. The plant has clumps of spike-like stems that are about the size and shape of cucumber.
It was 'discovered' by Col. RF Gordon in December 1778 in the Upington area of South Africa. Francis Masson, a renowned botanist, first named the plant Stapelia Gordonii. Later it was identified as part of the Hoodia genus, named in honour of van Hood who was a keen succulent grower. It’s been known by a number of names including
Bobbejaanghaap
Bokhorings
Khobab
Khoba
Queen of the Namib
Bushman's Hat
Hoodia has been used for thousands of years in South Africa. The San Bushmen of Kalahari desert ate the stems to reduce their appetite and aid their digestion during their long hunting trips. It was also traditionally used to treat abdominal trouble and indigestion, as well as hypertension and diabetes.
In 1937, a Dutch anthropologist first observed the hunger reducing effects while studying the habits of San Bushmen. Then in 1996, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa decided to start a study into the foods that the Bushmen used. Looking at Hoodia Gordonii, they discovered that it appeared to have weight loss properties. Further investigation by CSIR revealed that a specific compound, molecule P57, was responsible.