Hoodia gordonii is a succulent plant found in Namibia, Angola, South Africa and Botswana. The San people of Kalahari Desert were found to possess the knowledge of its many uses. They used the plant as an appetite suppressant when they go for hunting which would last a few days. The extracts of this plant was patented by South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 1997. CSIR named the extract P57. CSIR then sold the exclusive rights of P57 to Phytopharm, a British drug company. Phytopharm in turn licensed the right to produce to Pfizer. But Hoodia became internationally well known only after BBC reported on the plant in 2003. Later in 2004, 60 Minutes reported its use as a natural appetite suppressant.

Hoodia became a favorite weight loss product in the global market. But the fact that this knowledge was owned by San Bushmen was simply not remembered or acknowledged. The media then raked up this issue accusing Phytopharm of biopiracy. Confronted with this, Phytopharm lamely defended itself saying that the San people no longer existed when tens of thousands of them actually inhabited the southern African countries covering the Kalahari Desert. CSIR then admitted in 2003 that the San people were the source of this knowledge and that a portion of the royalty would indeed be shared with them. It is estimated that 0.003 percent of the retail sales were to be their share. This was a pittance though the point was well taken. Meanwhile, Pfizer returned Phytopharm the production rights who later transferred the rights to Unilever. Unilever were into production of diet foods such as Slim Fast. The company announced its intention to produce functional foods with Hoodia as the main ingredient.

Meanwhile Hoodia began to be marketed widely by a number of companies who claimed that their product contained Hoodia. These are available in a variety of forms as liquid, shakes, powder, capsules and pills such as Dex-L10 Hoodia, Hoodia Pure, Hoodia Extract, HoodiThin Liquid, Tru Hoodia Diet, H57 Hoodia, Hoodia SlimQuick, Hoodia Gordonii Shake Mix, Hoodia Shake, Hoodia Supreme, Hoodoba, and Desert Burn. Hoodia, in most cases, are combined with a few other useful items. Some Hoodia products are marketed for specific sections of consumers for instance Slimquick Hoodia diet which combines calcium, Vitamin D3 and Green Tea for women.

Phytopharm subsequently applied and was granted two more patents related to treatment of gastric disorders. Applications for patent for some more uses have been subsequently filed. These are related to its potential use in disorders related to disorders in the functioning of the saliva, prostrate and sweat glands besides sexual dysfunction.

Health is very important. So, everybody should take care of their health.

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Hoodia is one amongst the 13 species of a flowering plant family, Apocynaceae. A stem succulent, Hoodia is easily mistaken to be a cactus with its remarkable resemblance. But it is not. Growing to a height of up to a meter, Hoodia has large strong smelling flowers often having a tan color. They are found in the natural habitats in Namib Desert in Africa spreading from southern Angola to Central Namibia. One of the several species of Hoodia, the Hoodia gordonii has been under investigation for use as an appetite suppressant. The plant has been extensively marketed across the world for weight loss. The San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert are the originators of this claim. The plant takes five years to flower after which it is harvested. For centuries they have been using the plant for various purposes such as appetite suppressant when on long hunting trips in the desert and treating small infections and indigestion.

A Dutch anthropologist had noted the San Bushmen using Hoodia gordonii in 1937. The South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) began studying the plant in 1977 and isolated the principal ingredient, a steroidal glycoside, responsible for its effect as an appetite suppressant. They named it P57 and obtained patent for this in 1996. It was only in 2002, after the issue was raked up that CSIR formally recognized the San people’s rights making them eligible for a share of the profits from marketing of Hoodia and any spin offs from this. CSIR licensed P57 to Phytopharm in 1995 who spent about $20 million on Hoodia research. In 1998 Phytopharm sub-licensed the rights to Pfizer for $21 million but returned the rights back to Phytopharm who is collaborating with Unilever.

Hoodia sent waves of excitement only when BBC reported on the discovery of the plant and its use in 2003 which 60 Minutes followed it up with a field story in 2004. Many companies launched products that claimed to contain Hoodia. The products were in different forms including tablets, capsules, coffee and infusions, liquid tinctures, protein shakes, syrups and even diet fruit bars. There are products such as Hoodia Supreme which marketed the product with the catch phrase as nature’s benefit Hoodia Supreme.

Hoodia was placed in Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) making it a plant that is threatened with extinction if its international trade is not regulated. The trade in Hoodia now come under the CITES related certification which also makes it possible to verify its genuineness.

Nature has always been a great advantage to human beings. As human beings, it is our duty to take good care of Mother Nature.

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