Hoodia Gordonii (also known as xhoob, ihoba, Hoodia albispina, Hoodia barklyi, Hoodia pillansii, bushman’s hat, queen of the Namib, or just Hoodia) is a small, succulent, cactus like plant that grows only in the remote regions of the South African, Kalahari Desert as well as Botswana, Namibia, and Angola. Although sometimes referred to as the Hoodia Cactus, the Hoodia plant is not really a cactus. It is green, spiny and similar in appearance to a cactus however, with small, foul smelling flowers. It thrives in extremely high temperatures, and takes many years to mature.
The indigenous San Bushmen of the Kalahari have been using Hoodia Gordonii for 1000’s of years for various medicinal purposes, however it is most widely know to be used as an appetite suppressant during long hunting trips, when other food was scarce.
The plant was eventually researched by the drug company Phytopharm, and it’s main active ingredient was eventually isolated, renamed and patented as molecule P57 (or gp57, p.57).
How does Hoodia Gordonii work?
Normally when you eat a meal, the glucose levels in your brain rise and that is what tells your body you are full. The way Hoodia Gordonii works is, it appears to simulate these glucose molecules in the hypothalamus. The plant’s main active molecule is apparently 10,000 times more active than glucose, so it takes much less of the substance to trigger the same filling responses in your body. For this reason, Hoodia Gordonii is quickly becoming one of the new weight loss wonder foods of the century.
The main drawback to consuming raw Hoodia plants is that is has a very unpleasant taste. For this reason, experts are recommending using instead, more potent synthesized forms of the plant in the form of tablets.
