Hoodia belongs to Apocynaceae, a flowering plant family with a genus of 13 species. Though they are not related to the cactus family, they look similar. It is a stem succulent. Reaching up to a meter in height, Hoodia has large flowers. The flowers have strong smell and often have 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.

The use of Hoodia gordonii by San Bushmen was noted by a Dutch anthropologist. The South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) commenced studies on the plant in 1977. It was successful in isolating a steroidal glycoside, the principal ingredient responsible for suppressing appetite. This ingredient was named P57. The patent for this discovery was obtained in 1996. CSIR formally recognized the San Bushmen as the originators of the knowledge only in 2002 when this non-recognition issue was raised. This made the San people eligible for getting a share in the royalties from the sales of Hoodia and any other products based on this knowledge. In 1995 Phytopharm received the license for P57 from CSIR. The company spent about $20 million for carrying out research on hoodia. P57 was sub-licensed 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 created a sensation when BBC reported on it in 2003 followed by 60 Minutes in 2004. Many products claiming to be Hoodia products began to be marketed. They are marketed in different forms such as capsules, tablets, liquid tinctures, coffee and infusions, syrups, protein shakes and even diet fruit bars. There are products such as Hoodia Supreme who claims pure Hoodia as its ingredient. 74

Recognizing that Hoodia is threatened because of the indiscriminate trade from Africa, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) listed it under its Appendix II identifying it as a plant that should be brought under strict regulation. This certification also is proof of its genuineness.

Since time immemorial, nature has helped human beings in different ways. So, we should all care for Mother Nature as a way of expressing our gratitude towards her.

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