The Hoodia gordonii plant is a spiny succulent (similar looking to a cactus) that grows in the Kalahari desert in Africa, mostly in the arid areas of South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia. San Bushmen (who are one of the world's oldest and most primitive hunter-gatherer tribes), have known about the hoodia gordonii plant for countless generations. Rock paintings of the San Bushmen go back more than 20,000 years. The nomadic Bushmen, who live in this harsh and arid desert, use the plant as an appetite suppressant during their long marches and hunting trips through the vast desert. As of September 2007, I am not aware of any human studies published with Hoodia gordonii supplements for weight loss. Below I mention one rodent study that I came across that showed Hoodia gordonii was able to reduce appetite.   
   Several species of the stapeliads, a group of stem succulents belonging to the family Apocynaceae are reported on in the ethnopharmacology literature and many are used as food plants. The most important of these plants is hoodia, which has risen from an almost forgotten spiny, desert plant to an important commercial appetite-suppressant natural herbal product. Hoodia gordonii is available as a supplement in various extract forms, and it is also available in combination with other herbs and supplements for those interested in better body weight management. One such effective appetite suppressant is Diet Rx with hoodia gordonii, formulated by a world famous medical doctor, Dr. Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Comments on Hoodia gordonii plant
We've had feedback from Hoodia gordonii users regarding appetite control, and the results are mixed. Overall, though, it seems about 70% of the feedback has been positive.

Hoodia gordonii powder versus extract
Which form of Hoodia gordonii diet pill is better? We really don't know the answer to whether the powder or the extract leads to more weight loss since no studies have been done comparing the two.

Appetite control Research
It was in the 1960s that scientists first discovered that when rodents were given Hoodia gordonii, they practically stopped eating. According to news reports, researchers in South Africa discovered Hoodia gordonii contains a previously unknown compound, not known to be present in other plants, which has since been named P 57. Apparently the license was sold to a British pharmaceutical company, Phytopharm, who in turn sold the development and marketing rights to Pfizer Corporation. Studies with Hoodia gordonii are being conducted at this time. A preliminary report in the news media which I can't find in medical journals indicates that Hoodia gordonii gordonii is able to suppress appetite in humans. Here is a recent study with Hoodia gordonii done with rats.

Hoodia gordonii extract suppresses appetite in rats
An appetite suppressant from Hoodia gordonii species.
Phytochemistry. 2007.
Two pregnane glycosides were isolated by fractionation of the dried stems of Hoodia gordonii. Compound 1 was tested for its appetite suppressant properties in rats by oral gavage at 6.25-50mg/kg and the results showed that all doses resulted in a decrease of food consumption over an eight day period and a body mass decrease when compared to the control sample receiving only the vehicle.

Is Hoodia gordonii a diet pill?
I'm still trying to evaluate the feedback from users of Hoodia gordoni. Thus far I tend to lean towards the possibility that Hoodia gordonii is in fact helpful to curb appetite, but I still need many more case reports from Hoodia gordonii users before coming to a firmer opinion.

Chemical composition of Hoodia gordonii gordonii
Hoodia gordonii has many components, including C21-steroidal derivatives, namely gordonosides, along with goodigosides, and oxypregnane glycosides. P57AS3 (P57), an oxypregnane steroidal glycoside, is believed to be the active constituent from this plant in terms of appetite suppression. P57 increases the content of ATP by 50-150% in hypothalamic neurons which may be one of the mechanisms by which Hoodia gordonii works as an appetite suppression.

Pregnane glycosides from Hoodia gordonii.
Phytochemistry. 2009; Shukla YJ, Pawar RS, Ding Y, Li XC, Ferreira D, Khan IA. Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, MS, USA.
Hoodia gordonii is a 'weight loss' herb, which has gained popularity in the western countries as an appetite suppressant dietary supplement. Phytochemical study of its aerial parts led to isolation of seven pregnane glycosides (hoodigosides W-Z, hoodistanalosides A-B). Their structures were elucidated by chemical degradation studies and spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR and CD spectroscopic methods.

emails

Q. I've seen Hoodia gordonii spelled as gordoni and gordonii. Which is the right spelling?
   A. The right spelling is Hoodia gordonii.

Q. I would like to try a Hoodia gordonii diet pill but there are literally dozens of products marketed on the internet. How do I know that there is actual Hoodia gordonii in these pills?
   A. Unless you send the product to an independent lab, you can not be 100 percent certain that the product you buy will have Hoodia gordonii or the right amount as stated on the label. However, most of the large companies selling Hoodia gordonii weight loss pills are reliable.

Q. Can hoodia gordonii pill be taken the same day as glucomannan diet pill?
   A. Glucomannan is a safe supplement and can be taken the same day as hoodia gordonii pill.