Past
Hoodia Gordonii is a succulent plant that grows in the African Kalahari desert. It thrives in extremely hot weather, and it takes many years to mature. Bushmen have used hoodia for several centuries, to help ward off hunger when on long trips in the desert. They would cut a piece of the plant, which is about the size of a cucumber, and eat it. It takes a piece of fresh hoodia, about 2 or 3 inches long, to get the appetite suppressing benefit. The San people, also known as Bushmen, have lived in the region for thousands of years. The San are among the poorest people in the region and the deal could bring in millions of dollars. The money would be divided among its people living in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola and would be used communally, mostly for buying land and investing in education and development projects.

Present
Scientists have found that one molecule in the plant is responsible for the appetite reducing effect. This molecule has been named P57. Phytopharm owns the patent to P57, and no other company or individual can sell hoodia as a weight loss aid. Phytopharm has an agreement with the San people to share a percentage of any profits with them.

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer entered a deal with Phytopharm and tried to isolate P57 into a form that could be marketed to the public. After several years of research, and with no product at hand, they pulled out of the agreement.

Hoodia is currently being sold online by various companies and individuals. They are selling dried, powdered hoodia. However, the appetite suppressing ability of hoodia gordonii has only been shown effective in large fresh pieces of the plant. It isn't as simple as drying and grinding up the plant. If it was, Pfizer and Phytopharm would have had the product on our shelves long ago. The powder that you purchase contains such a small amount of P57 that it cannot produce the desired effect. These products are not regulated or inspected, and the exact contents are not known.

The current supply of genuine hoodia gordonii is very limited, and is considered rare. The South African government has chosen to protect hoodia gordonii as an endangered plant. In October, 2004, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) provided added protection. Hoodia gordonii cannot be exported as a weight loss product. Limited amounts of the plant can be exported, but only as herbarium collections. The extent of illegal trade is unknown.

Future
In December of 2004, Phytopharm and Unilever announced a new deal which will put hoodia on the market within 3 years. Unilever paid $21 million to help with trials and to expand the plant cultivation programme in South Africa and Namibia.. It is expected to be used it in food products such as breakfast bars, to boost sales of their SlimFast line of diet products. However, they may market it under a new or different brand.

In the meantime, please avoid any so-called hoodia products that you may find for sale now. If you need help suppressing your appetite, please see your physician for a prescription drug that can be controlled and monitored for effectiveness and safety. This brings up another issue: long term safety of hoodia gordonii. Initial safety trials have had positive results, and no toxicity has been reported. However, long term usage has never been monitored. While the San have consumed hoodia for many generations, they did not use it as a weight loss aid. They have never been monitored for side effects, long term safety issues, drug interactions, allergies, or other concerns we should have.