Hoodia | Metabadrine Appetite Control Complex
Pure Hoodia Gordonii as used in New Metabadrine
Pure Hoodia Gordonii is a plant that is spiny, has no leaves and it is often used for
medicinal purposes. Grown in its natural habitat in Namibia and South Africa, the flowers have a very nasty smell and their main source of pollination is the common fly.
Uses
Pure Hoodia Gordonii has been used in South Africa for many years as a treatment for stomach disorders and minor infections. However, the most popular use has long been with hunters. They will use the meat of the Hoodia Gordonii plant as an appetite suppressant when out hunting in the desert.
Active Ingredient
Pure Hoodia Gordonii, when ingested, sends a signal to the brain that is similar to the one sent by glucose. That signal tells the brain that you are full and significantly decreases the feeling of hunger, even when one has not eaten. The taste of the plant is very unpleasant and has been described as being bitter. As of now, there are no known side effects from the use of hoodia.
P57 is the active ingredient in Hoodia that actually creates the effect of suppressing the appetite. The South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research was able to isolate P57 in 1977 and subsequently received a patent for it in 1996. After obtaining a patent, they were able to work with two different pharmaceutical companies, Phytopharm and Pfizer, to try to manipulate the extracts for use as a marketable appetite suppressant.
Need for Authentication
Pure Hoodia Gordonii is now a protected species of plant life. Only those who have the proper licensing may wild-harvest it. This restriction was put into place because the Hoodia Gordonii plant species is threatened with extinction because of over harvesting. International trade is now monitored and restricted, a certificate must be obtained from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna, and Flora before the plant can be exported from Africa. In the United States, importers must also obtain a permit from the USDA that allows them to import terrestrial plants.
Anyone seeking to purchase Hoodia products must look for these permissions on the product label in addition to a report from a laboratory stating that they have tested the product and it is certified to contain Pure Hoodia Gordonii.
Studies and Results
As stated above, Phytopharm and Pfizer were the only two pharmaceutical companies authorized to harvest and research the hoodia product. Pfizer subsequently backed out of the research stating that they could see no realistic value in the research and marketability of hoodia for any purpose because of the scarcity of the plant and the amount of time it took to grow and harvest any significant amounts of it. Phytopharm, on the other hand, has established a farm in South Africa dedicated strictly to growing the hoodia plant. They continue studies on it for its use as a dietary supplement but company representatives are careful to caution that human studies have not been done and to properly complete the necessary clinical trials that will establish its usefulness and safety will take a good long while.
There are many websites that market the hoodia product, but many of those products have been proven to contain very little if any hoodia at all. For that reason, Phytopharm cautions consumers that they are the only company licensed to produce hoodia as an aid in weight loss and reminds them that they are not yet marketing the hoodia product at all.
There are many counterfeit weight loss products out there that claim to contain pure Hoodia Gordonii and unless you are willing to have tests done on the product you purchase, you are gambling on whether you are getting the real ingredients or not.
