Hoodia Gordonii on the Rise

Making hoodia gordonii available anywhere is such a difficult thing to do. It needs special licensing. There are many varieties of hoodia cactus plant found in botanical gardens and green houses but it is not sure that they belong to the variety of hoodia gordonii.

Hoodia gordonii is very much popular as natural appetite suppressant. But remember that not all varieties of hoodia cactus plant contain natural appetite suppressant. Hoodia gordonii is the only variety studied for this function.

Because of the popularity of hoodia gordonii, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa governments had requested for the protection of the 15 species of hoodia cactus plant. They are afraid that the other species be mistaken for hoodia gordonii and could possibly be harvested for use as an appetite suppressant. And that was the reason why hoodia gordonii is difficult to propagate. It really requires special permitting. CITES permit is also required for exporting any species of it.

On the other hand, in the Northern and Western Cape of South Africa, collecting of any varieties of hoodia cactus plant is prohibited without valid permit.

Southern African countries are not only after the protection of hoodia cactus plant from extinction. When the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research had identified the molecule responsible for the appetite suppressing abilities of hoodia gordonii and had licensed the rights for development to Phytopharm, they entered into a benefit sharing agreement with the San communities.

Traditionally, the San peoples are using hoodia gordonii plant for medicinal purposes. And CSIR is helping them to identify the species.

Hoodia gordonii is propagated in the wild through the wind. The seeds are being carried away from the mother hoodia cactus plant. While commercially propagating this hoodia gordonii this can be very beneficial to people. But the sad part here is it may cause the loss of the plant in the wild.