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.
   Hoodia patch is marketed as a weight loss aid by a number of companies. What does the research say about hoodia patch? Is there such research published? Is hoodia absorbed through the skin?

Skin absorption of hoodia gordonii
We have not seen any evidence that hoodia is absorbed through the skin. If it does, we cannot find any published research to support the claims of hoodia diet patch promoters. Even if hoodia is absorbed through the skin, what advantage is there to taking this way. It is a more expensive way to have hoodia enter the body and since hoodia works well orally, what's the point of using a hoodia patch?

Comments on Hoodia patch
We've had feedback from hoodia patch users regarding appetite control, and the results are not convincing. People have not noticed appetite suppression while using a hoodia patch.

Appetite control and Hoodia diet pill Research
It was in the 1960s that scientists first discovered that when rodents were given hoodia, they practically stopped eating. According to news reports, researchers in South Africa discovered hoodia 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 are being conducted at this time. A preliminary report in the news media which I can't find in medical journals indicates that hoodia is able to suppress appetite in humans. Here is a recent study with hoodia done with rats.

Chemical composition of hoodia gordonii
Hoodia 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 works as an appetite suppression.

Hoodia patch emails and questions, comments
I'm a 360 lbs white male, age 40. I tried hoodia diet patches 2 times a day for a week and did not notice any effect on appetite or weight loss.

I have tried hoodia patches and hoodia taken orally, and I can say that hoodia pills taken by mouth work for me as an appetite suppressant much much better.