The discovery of the active ingredient in the Hoodia gordonii plant is proven with clinical research to suppress one's appetite by up to 2000 calories a day. This amazing and all natural and organic ingredient is the result of 30 years of research by the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) in South Africa. So great is the discovery of this weight-loss ingredient that Pfizer, a large pharmaceutical company, is developing a pill, known as P57, based on the hoodia gordonii plant. Pfizer hopes that P57 will banish food cravings.

Is the Hoodia gordonii diet pill safe?
All the hoodia gordonii diet pills featured on my site will only contain natural and organic ingredients, they will contain NO stimulants such as caffiene and effedra and many of the Hoodia gordonii diet pill will be suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

How does the Hoodia gordonii diet pill work?
The Hoodia gordonii plant contains an active ingredient that fools your brain into believing that you have had enough to eat. All you need to do is take your pill 20-30 minutes before your meal. Everyone is different and the effects of the Hoodia diet pill may take up to 14 days to work.

How fast will I lose weight with the Hoodia gordonii Diet Pill?
Studies done in Leicester, England have shown that people using the Hoodia gordonii diet pill reduce their calory intake by up to 1000 calories a day and when you put that into pounds lost it may equate up to 4-6 pounds a week.

Are you sure the Hoodia in your diet pill is pure?
Hoodia gordonii is one of many species in the Hoodia genus and it takes a trained botanist or San collector to be able to distinguish species without looking at the flower. Without the flower Hoodia gordonii is difficult to distinguish from other species and unscrupulous collectors will not wait for their flowering period.

Hoodia gordonii is a CITES (Convention of Illicit Trade of Endangered Species) protected succulent which means that the collecting of Hoodia gordonii in the wild is illegal without a permit (which is very difficult to obtain from the South African govenment).

The Hoodia gordonii in the approved diet pills on this site will carry their CITES export permit from and have proof that the raw Hoodia is indeed from a government approved Hoodia grower in South Africa.

How was the Hoodia gordonii secret discovered?
The active ingredient, P57, was not discovered by accident. In 1996 the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) was doing research on the food that the local "Bushmen" or San ate.

The CSIR was amazed when they analysed Hoodia gordonii, the animals they where testing it on did not die or have any side effect except weightloss. It was concluded that the Hoodia gordonii succulent was non-toxic and a natural appetite suppresant.

By 1997 the CSIR had isolated the bioactive compound in Hoodia that had the appetite suppressing properties. They obtained a patent and licensed P57, named P57 because it was the 57th product the CSIR had spent funds on, to Phytopharm.

Hoodia gordonii Distribution:
Hoodia gordonii is found in the Kalahari desert, home of the San or "Bushmen" people as well as across the South African border into Namibia. Hoodia gordonii was first discovered by Col. R.J. Gordon (hence the name gordonii) while exploring the Orange River in 1776. Col. Gordon referred the plant to Francis Sweet who described it as Stapelia gordonii. Sweet then transferred it to the Hoodia genus.

Hoodia gordonii Description:
Hoodia gordonii is 45 cm tall with regular brown-spined stem angles. Hoodia gordonii's stems are a greyish-brown colour with the new growth being a light green.

Hoodia Gordonii Flower:
Hoodia gordonii has saucer shaped flowers that are 70 - 100 mm in diameter, are pale purple with small dark papillae in the centre. The flowers re foul-smelling and can be comparable to rotten stink feet. The primary pollinator of Hoodia gordonii are flies, they are attracted to the foul smelling flowers. The flies are fooled into believing that they will be getting a meal of carrion (hence the plants nickname of carrion plants).

Hoodia gordonii cultivation:
Hoodia gordonii thrives in full sun but will tolerate light shade. Careful watering of your Hoodia gordonii is required as it is prone to rot. Hoodia gordonii should be watered very carefully during the winter months.

Hoodia gordonii is susceptible to mealybug, especially on their roots. Treat your Hoodia gordonii once as month by drenching the soil with with a pesticide for mealybugs.

Hoodia gordonii is also susceptible to rot from overwatering, if rot does occur you will need to remove the detritus from the healthy parts by cutting it away. Seal the healthy parts of the Hoodias stems with a sealer or some ash from your fire place. Treat with a fungicide and allow to completely callus before attempting to root the cuttings.

I root my hoodia gordonii cuttings in plain river that has been washed. To speed up the rooting process you can dip the first 2-3cm of the healthy stems into rooting hormone, Place your hoodis gordonii cuttings into the clean riversand and spray every now and then with a fine mist. To test and see if the Hoodia gordonii cuttings have set root you can tug the plant gently nd if resistence is met then it is highly probable that your hoodia gordonii cuttings have rooted.

Common Names:
Queen of the Namib, African Hats.

Propagation:
Seeds and cuttings.

(in habitat) (Masson) Sweet ex Decne.
Asclepiadaceae Photographer: Etwin Aslander

Hoodia gordonii history
Hoodia gordonii is a plant with a long history but only recently has it come to the attention of western countries due to the discovery of it's miraculous weightloss properties.

The San people of the Kalahari have been using the Hoodia gordonii succulent for millenias to stave off hunger and as a water supplement during their long hunting trips.