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Hoodia, Hoodia Cactus
by Eric Morris
Most of the journalists used the name, “the African Hoodia Cactus” when they learned about the hunger-suppressing plant from South Africa. What they meant was “Hoodia Gordonii”, found wild in the Kalahari Desert. It does not belong to the cactus genus.
Hoodia Gordonii is a succulent. The Genus is Trichocaulon and the family name is Asclepiadaceae. It is a grayish brown plant with ten or more tentacles, resembling a long cucumber with spikes. The height of the plant can be 18 inches to 6 feet. It is bitter-tasting, with an unpleasant smell.
The San Bushmen have been using this plant for thousands of years as a hunger suppressant while on long hunts. CSIR of South Africa took a patent on the plant as a weight-loss aid and sold it to a British pharmaceutical company, Phytopharm. The plant grows only in a desert climate and takes about 5 to 7 years to mature. Attempts to grow them in China, Mexico and the USA failed.
Phytopharm successfully conducted clinical trials on the plant and combined with Pfizer of the USA to produce P 57, the active ingredient of Hoodia, synthetically. After the attempt failed, because it was uneconomical, they arranged for large plantations in South Africa to cultivate the plant. They have tied up with Unilever, a British MNC and food giant, to test and market the product by 2008.
After a legal challenge and subsequent settlement between the San tribe lawyer and CSIR of South Africa, the Bushmen are to be given part of the profits made from the sales of the product. In an October 2004 convention at Bangkok, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild Fauna and Flora) included Hoodia Gordonii in Appendix II. This means that the South African government has an active control over this plant, and is not likely to allow over-exploitation of wild Hoodia.
It is proving to be a difficult task. Taking a plant from the wild desert and growing it as a plantation crop is a challenge that the scientists involved are facing. Diseases, pests and a lot of agricultural practices have to be understood. However, they are confident of success in putting the product on the supermarket shelf by 2008.
Hoodia provides detailed information on hoodia, hoodia and weight loss, hoodia cactus, hoodia diet pills and more. For more information go to http://www.web-hoodia.com and/or visit its affiliated site at http://www.e-Cellulite.com for related information.
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You may want to try these websites for additional information
http://shop.hoodia-diet-plus.com/
http://www.phytopharm.co.uk/hoodiafactfile/
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/news-ng.asp?id56814-unilever-gains-exclusive
The information provided in this article is the express opinion of the author. Exchangenet is not responsible for the content!
Most of the journalists used the name, “the African Hoodia Cactus” when they learned about the hunger-suppressing plant from South Africa. What they meant was “Hoodia Gordonii”, found wild in the Kalahari Desert. It does not belong to the cactus genus.
Hoodia Gordonii is a succulent. The Genus is Trichocaulon and the family name is Asclepiadaceae. It is a grayish brown plant with ten or more tentacles, resembling a long cucumber with spikes. The height of the plant can be 18 inches to 6 feet. It is bitter-tasting, with an unpleasant smell.
The San Bushmen have been using this plant for thousands of years as a hunger suppressant while on long hunts. CSIR of South Africa took a patent on the plant as a weight-loss aid and sold it to a British pharmaceutical company, Phytopharm. The plant grows only in a desert climate and takes about 5 to 7 years to mature. Attempts to grow them in China, Mexico and the USA failed.
Phytopharm successfully conducted clinical trials on the plant and combined with Pfizer of the USA to produce P 57, the active ingredient of Hoodia, synthetically. After the attempt failed, because it was uneconomical, they arranged for large plantations in South Africa to cultivate the plant. They have tied up with Unilever, a British MNC and food giant, to test and market the product by 2008.
After a legal challenge and subsequent settlement between the San tribe lawyer and CSIR of South Africa, the Bushmen are to be given part of the profits made from the sales of the product. In an October 2004 convention at Bangkok, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild Fauna and Flora) included Hoodia Gordonii in Appendix II. This means that the South African government has an active control over this plant, and is not likely to allow over-exploitation of wild Hoodia.
It is proving to be a difficult task. Taking a plant from the wild desert and growing it as a plantation crop is a challenge that the scientists involved are facing. Diseases, pests and a lot of agricultural practices have to be understood. However, they are confident of success in putting the product on the supermarket shelf by 2008.
Hoodia provides detailed information on hoodia, hoodia and weight loss, hoodia cactus, hoodia diet pills and more. For more information go to http://www.web-hoodia.com and/or visit its affiliated site at http://www.e-Cellulite.com for related information.
These articles on lifestyle and more
This article is available for syndication. It must be republished with its title, text, and hyperlinks in tact (HYPERLINKS MUST BE KEPT ACTIVE). hoodia
Return to the selection of hoodia
You may want to try these articles on hoodia
Hoodia, Review On Hoodia Diet Pills by Wouter Van Dyck Approximately 563 Words
Hoodia, Take Hoodia Diet Pills With A Smart Diet, Not A Starvation Diet by Andrew Aitaken Approximately 1409 Words
Hoodia, Hoodia by Eric Morris Approximately 367 Words
Hoodia, Appetite Suppressants - All You Need To Know by Galia Ivanova Approximately 539 Words
Hoodia, The Difference Between Genuine Hoodia Gordonii And Fake Hoodia Gordonii by Alan Jensen Approximately 549 Words
Hoodia, Is Hoodia Gordonii For You? by Alan Jensen Approximately 597 Words
Hoodia, What Is Hoodia Gordonii by Alan Jensen Approximately 549 Words
You may want to try these websites for additional information
http://shop.hoodia-diet-plus.com/
http://www.phytopharm.co.uk/hoodiafactfile/
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/news-ng.asp?id56814-unilever-gains-exclusive
The information provided in this article is the express opinion of the author. Exchangenet is not responsible for the content!
