Hoodia gordonii with P57, a plant that, while it looks like a cactus, is actually a "succulent" that grows in the high deserts of the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa. The San people of the Kalahari -- a tribe of hunter-gatherers with a 27,000-year-old culture and history in using native plants for medicinal purposes have been using the hoodia plant for centuries to help ward off pain, hunger and thirst when the Bushmen made long trips in the desert.



In an interview with ABC News, Andries Steenkamp, a spokesman for the San people, said: "I learned how to eat it from my forefathers. It is my food, my water and also a medicine for me. Said Steenkamp: "We San use the plant during hunting to fight off the pain of hunger and thirst."

* Hoodia Gordonii (Xhoba) is a succulent (cactus like) plant found in desert regions of South Africa (Namibia, Angola and Botswana).

* For thousands of years, the San Bushmen of the Kalahari desert have used Hoodia Gordonii to counter hunger and thirst, when they were deprived of food on long hunting expeditions in the desert.

* Not all members of the Hoodia family of plants are biologically active. Hoodia Supreme is produced from the species Hoodia Gordonii which has been used in the food chain of the indigent desert people of South Africa.

* In the 1930's a Dutch anthropologist discovered the use of Hoodia Gordonii by the San Bushmen. The Bushmen used Hoodia as food and sustenance during nomadic hunting expeditions.

* Hoodia Gordonii has been reported to provide a sense of alertness and it may also have aphrodisiac qualities.

* Hoodia was reported by the San Bushmen to suppress appetite and hunger and this has been confirmed by science.

Hoodia gordonii is entirely natural -- it is not a drug, and has no stimulant properties.

How Does Hoodia Work?

There are various species of hoodia, but the Gordonii variation is the only one that contains the all-natural appetite suppressant. This type of hoodia contains a molecule that has similar effects on nerve cells as glucose, and tricks the brain into the sensation of fullness. Results of human clinical trials in Britain suggest that hoodia may reduce the appetite by hundreds of calories a day or more.

* Scientific studies exist on components of Hoodia Gordonii indicating that it has direct effects on the central nervous system.

* Molecules in Hoodia Gordonii may mimic the effects of glucose on nerve cells in the hypothalamus of the brain.

* Hoodia may fool the body into thinking that it is "satisfied" or "full". This may help curb appetite and calorie intake in the diet may be reduced.

* Hoodia does not contain dangerous stimulant molecules.

* Hoodia is a potential adjunct to behavior modification for weight control.

* Hoodia can be used with exercise and lifestyle changes for weight control.

* No serious or harmful side effects of Hoodia Gordonii have been reported. Its presence in the African food chain for many years provides a precedent of safety

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