NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Hoodia

Hoodia (IPA: 'hʊdiːə) is a genus of 13 species in the flowering plant family Apocynaceae, under the subfamily Asclepiadoideae.^[1] They are stem succulents, described as "cactiform" because of their remarkable similarity to the unrelated cactus family. They can reach up to 1m high and have large flowers, often with flesh colour and strong smell. The symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet can be used to show pronounciation in English. ... For other uses of the word, please see Genus (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Angiospermae, and Anthophyta be merged into this article or section. ... In biological classification, family (Latin: familia, plural familiae) is 1) a rank or 2) a taxon in that rank. ... Genera See Taxonomy and Genera. ... Genera See under Apocynaceae Ceropegia stapelliformis Caralluma acutangula Leptadenia pyrotechnica The Asclepiadaceae is a former plant family, now included in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, according to the AGP II. Asclepiadaceae is nested within the Apocynaceae sensu lato, and is treated as the subfamily Asclepiadoideae (Bruyns 2000). ... Succulent plants, such as this Aloe, store water in their fleshy leaves Succulent plants, also known as succulents or fat plants, are water-retaining plants adapted to xerophilic climatic or soil conditions. ... Genera See Taxonomy of the Cactaceae A cactus (plural cacti, cactuses or cactus) is any member of the succulent plant family Cactaceae, native to the Americas. ... A Phalaenopsis flower Rudbeckia fulgida A flower, (<Old French flo(u)r<Latin florem<flos), also known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). ...

Many Hoodia species are protected plants, typical of the Namib Desert, ranging from Central Namibia to southern Angola, especially in plains and rocky areas. Common names include "Bushman's Hat" and "Queen of the Namib". The indigenous Bushmen call this plant Xhoba (IPA: ǁɔbɑ). The initial sound is a lateral click. Dune 7, one of the highest sand dunes in the world (ca. ... The Bushmen (also known as Basarwa in Tswana, or San in Nama) are an indigenous population of the Kalahari Desert, which spans South Africa and neighboring Botswana and Namibia as well southern Angola. ... The symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet can be used to show pronounciation in English. ...

Several species are grown as garden plants, and one species, Hoodia gordonii, is being investigated for use as an appetite suppressant. A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. ... Anorectics, anorexigenics or appetite suppressants are drugs that reduce the desire to eat (anorectic, from the Greek an- = not and oreg- = extend, reach). (Anorectic is also a term for an anorexic person, a person suffering from Anorexia nervosa. ...

Species

Species See text Hoodia is a genus in the plant family Apocynaceae, in the part of the family previously treated as a separate family Asclepiadaceae. ...

Medicinal uses

The use of Hoodia has long been known by the indigenous populations of Southern Africa, who infrequently use these plants for treating indigestion and small infections. Image File history File links Derived from public domain images featured at: http://commons. ... Species See text Hoodia is a genus in the plant family Apocynaceae, in the part of the family previously treated as a separate family Asclepiadaceae. ... Indigestion is a condition that is frequently caused by eating too fast, especially by eating high-fat foods quickly. ... An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. ...

In 1977, the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) isolated the ingredient in hoodia - now known as P57 - which is responsible for its appetite-suppressant effect, and patented it in 1996.^[2] The CSIR then granted United Kingdom-based Phytopharm a license, and they collaborated with the pharmaceutical company Pfizer to isolate active ingredients from the extracts and look into synthesizing them for use as an appetite suppressant. Pfizer released the rights to the primary ingredient in 2002. Paul Hutson, associate professor in the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, told the Wisconsin State Journal, "For Pfizer to release something dealing with obesity suggests to me that they felt there was no merit to its oral use".^[3] Pfizer states that development on P57, the active ingredient of Hoodia, was stopped due to the difficulty of synthesizing P57.^[4] Jasjit Bindra, lead researcher for hoodia at Pfizer, states there were indications of unwanted effects on the liver caused by other components, which could not be easily removed from the supplement, adding "Clearly, hoodia has a long way to go before it can earn approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Until safer formulations are developed, dieters should be wary of using it."^[5] For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is South Africas central and premier scientific research and development organization. ... P57 is an oxypregnane steroidal glycoside isolated from the African cactiform Hoodia gordonii. ... A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to a patentee (the inventor or assignee) for a fixed period of time in exchange for the regulated, public disclosure of certain details of a device, method, process or composition of matter (substance) (known as an invention) which... Phytopharm is a pharmaceutical company with a plant extract division. ... Pfizer, Incorporated (NYSE: PFE) (pronounced faÉªzÉ™É¹ or faÉªzÉ™), is the worlds largest pharmaceutical company. ... Anorectics, anorexigenics or appetite suppressants are drugs that reduce the desire to eat (anorectic, from the Greek an- = not and oreg- = extend, reach). (Anorectic is also a term for an anorexic person, a person suffering from Anorexia nervosa. ... The University of Wisconsinâ€“Madison (also known as UWâ€“Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, or UW) is a highly selective public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin. ... FDA logo The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and is responsible for regulating food, dietary supplements, drugs, biological medical products, blood products, medical devices, radiation-emitting devices, veterinary products, and cosmetics in the United States. ...

In 2002, CSIR officially recognized the San tribespeople’s rights over Hoodia, allowing them to take a percentage of the profits and any spin-offs resulting from the marketing of Hoodia.^[6] Hoodia gordonii is a protected plant which may only be wild-harvested by individuals and the few companies who have been granted a license.^[7]

Scientific study

It has not been conclusively demonstrated that Hoodia works as an appetite suppressant. No published peer-reviewed double-blind clinical trials have been performed on humans to investigate the safety or effectiveness of Hoodia gordonii in pill form as a nutritional supplement. Peer review (known as refereeing in some academic fields) is a scholarly process used in the publication of manuscripts and in the awarding of funding for research. ... The double blind is ray charles is ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesis ray charlesof the scientific method, used to prevent research... In medicine, a clinical trial (synonyms: clinical studies, research protocols, medical research) is the application of the scientific method to human health. ... In the United States, a dietary supplement is defined under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 as a product taken by the mouth that contains a dietary ingredient that is intended as a supplement to the diet. ...

One scientific study has been published in which the extract was injected directly into the brains of rats.^[8] The author of the rat study said that P57 was easily broken down by the liver, so it might be hard to take in enough of it to ensure that it had an effect. MacLean cautioned that currently available supplements might be inadequate, stating "I question whether there is really enough of the active ingredient in there to do much."^[9]

Richard M. Goldfarb, MD, a doctor and medical director of Bucks County Clinical Research in Morrisville, Pa., conducted a preliminary efficacy study of Hoodia gordonii on people and found it effective, however his study was very small, just seven people. The seven overweight participants' starting weights ranged from 193 to 345 pounds. They lost, on average, 3.3% of their body weight, Goldfarb says. The median loss over the 28-day study was 10 pounds. Goldfarb says he is trying to recruit more people for a larger study. His report on Hoodia was sponsored by a Hoodia manufacturer and his report was not published in any peer-reviewed journals.^[10] In probability theory and statistics, a median is a number dividing the higher half of a sample, a population, or a probability distribution from the lower half. ...

Other medical weight loss experts remain skeptical and do not recommend hoodia to obese patients, including Adrienne Youdim, MD, medical director of the Comprehensive Weight Loss Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Michael Steelman, MD, chairman of the board of trustees for the American Society of Bariatric Physicians. Youdim says, "There is no [published scientific] data to support its use."^[10]

Hoodia Authentication

As Hoodia gordonii is an endangered species it is protected under CITES treaties and is illegal to export from Africa without a CITES certificate being issued by proper authorities.

In the USA, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWs), United States Dept of Agriculture (USDA) and Homeland Security (U.S. Customs) all regulate the importation and re-exportation of species such as Hoodia gordonii. Current U.S. laws stipulate that not only must a CITES certificate accompany shipments of Hoodia gordonii but that the importers must possess a permit issued by the USDA to import Terrestrial Plants. In order to re-export H. gordonii, you must apply for a CITES re-export certificate.

In addition to looking for a copy of a CITES and USDA permit from a manufacturer of "Hoodia" products a consumer should also look for a report from an independent testing lab which has conducted scientific analysis on the product in question, testifying that they have been able to authenticate the presence of Hoodia gordonii.

As of 2007 there are three independent labs which are conducting tests to verify Hoodia gordonii in consumer products. They are: Alkemist Pharmaceuticals, Chromadex Labs of Costa Mesa, CA. and The University of Mississippi. The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is also working on a Hoodia Standard which is believed to be available in the industry in late 2007 in response to scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission of the Hoodia industry and complaints by consumers of fraudulent Hoodia products being marketed.

Media Coverage

The BBC started the media hype when they reported on the Hoodia gordonii plant in 2003. On Nov 21, 2003, 60 Minutes aired a report on the effectiveness of the Hoodia gordonii plant as a natural appetite suppressant.^[11] The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GBÂ£4 billion (US$7. ... 60 Minutes is an investigative television newsmagazine on United States television, which has run on CBS News since 1968. ...

Prior to the CBS 60 Minutes special on Nov 21, 2003 in which reporter Leslie Stahl broke the story to America about Hoodia gordonii, there were a total of 3 Hoodia products on the USA Market and Hoodia gordonii was being sold by african farmers at $13/USD per KG. In 2007, there are an estimated 300 products being sold worldwide being touted as Authentic Hoodia gordonii with a street rate for Hoodia gordonii at $250/KG on average.

The media coverage and heavy marketing by nutritional supplement companies that followed those reports have created such a demand for Hoodia plants that a protected status was imposed in several countries like Namibia. Many products claiming to contain Hoodia do not actually contain the active ingredient alleged to suppress appetite. Only the South African product has the claimed properties. An ongoing review of Hoodia pills by Alkemists Pharmaceuticals found that at least half of the products advertised as containing Hoodia contained none.^[12] Wikibooks has more about this subject: Marketing Look up marketing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In March 2006, Consumer Reports investigated the dietary supplement and concluded, "This weight loss drug lacks the clinical evidence for the Consumer Reports experts to recommend this product."^[13] Consumer Reports, an American magazine published monthly by Consumers Union, publishes reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from its in-house testing laboratory. ...

Marketing and spam

Lack of scientific evidence or regulatory approval have not stopped dietary supplement companies from marketing Hoodia gordonii supplements with claims that it can lower blood pressure and reduce the appetite. Goen Technologies Corporation's TrimSpa unit began marketing Hoodia gordonii under the brand name X32 with celebrity spokesperson Anna Nicole Smith, even though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified Trimspa that it has not demonstrated that claims for their product are scientifically supportable.^[14] Health Canada has not approved any hoodia products for sale.^[15] Goen Technologies has also been sued by the state of New Jersey for misleading consumers.^[16] The Trimspa brand is currently the subject of a lawsuit in California which claims that it does not contain any of Hoodia's active ingredient.^[12] The scientific method or process is fundamental to the scientific investigation and acquisition of new knowledge based upon physical evidence. ... A dietary supplement is intended to supply nutrients, (vitamins, minerals, fatty acids or amino acids) that are missing or not consumed in sufficient quantity in a persons diet. ... Wikibooks has more about this subject: Marketing Look up marketing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A sphygmomanometer, a device used for measuring blood pressure. ... Other Ingredients: dicalcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, stearic acid, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol, FD&C red #40 aluminum lake, FD&C yellow #6 aluminum lake, titanium dioxide. ... Vickie Lynn Marshall (November 28, 1967 â€“ February 8, 2007), better known under the stage name of Anna Nicole Smith,[1] was an American model, actress and celebrity. ... sex Canada (French: SantÃ© Canada) is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for national public health. ...

In December 2004, Unilever entered into an agreement with Phytopharm to start marketing Hoodia gordonii commercially in the form of shakes and diet bars although as of April 2007 no products have yet surfaced on the consumer market from that venture.^[17] Unilever (Euronext: UNA, LSE: ULVR, NYSE: UN) is an Anglo-Dutch company that owns many of the worlds consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. ...

On February 17, 2006 a U.S. trademark was issued to a american individual for a Hoodia gordonii protein shake being marketed as: Hoodia Shake which expanded US based Hoodia gordonii supplements beyond the venue of capsule products only.[1]

In March to June of 2006, millions of email spam messages were sent out concerning Hoodia, ostensibly offering Hoodia extracts for weight control purposes. The Federal Trade Commission has logged numerous complaints of consumer fraud associated with Hoodia and the number is expected to continue to rise.^[12] A typical spam advertisement Spam by e-mail is one type of spamming that involves sending identical or nearly identical messages to thousands (or millions) of recipients. ... FTC headquarters, Washington, D.C. The Federal Trade Commission (or FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act. ...

On July 1, 2006, it was reported on entertainment news show Extra that a company is now marketing Hoodia-enhanced lollipops called PowerPops.^[18] July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Extra is an entertainment television news program covering events and celebrities which debuted on September 5, 1994. ... For other uses of the term Lollipop, see Lollipop (disambiguation). ...

As of April 2007, Hoodia gordonii products are being marketed in a variety of formats to include: capsules, tablets, liquid tinctures, coffee and tea products, syrups, protein shakes and even diet fruit bars.

There are many so-called "consumer research" websites claiming to show consumer reviews and testimonials. The legitimacy and accuracy of all data on these websites is unknown however one fact gleaned from them is that an important litmus test for authenticating real Hoodia gordonii is that Hoodia exporters must be issued a [[2]]C.I.T.E.S certificate by the office of Western Cape Nature in order for Hoodia to be legally exported abroad from Africa. In addition to massive spam campaigns, there have been many reports of over-hyped and sometimes misleading marketing associated with websites selling and/or promoting Hoodia-related products.

References

^ Stevens PF (2001 onwards). Gentianales. Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (Missouri Botanical Gardens). Version 7, May 2006. Retrieved July 14, 2006.
^ Dixon, Robyn (December 26, 2006). Hoodia fever takes a toll on rare plant. Los Angeles Times
^ Rath, Jay. New Drug Tempting Dieters, But Experts Debate Hoodia's Merits. Wisconsin State Journal September 5, 2005, D1.
^ Morris, Joan (March 9, 2006) Little research behind claims that hoodia is safe, effective for losing weight. Seattle Times
^ Bindra, Jasjit (April 26, 2005). A Popular Pill's Hidden Danger. New York Times
^ Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (24 March 2003) The San and the CSIR announce a benefit-sharing agreement for potential anti-obesity drug.
^ Thompson, Ginger (April 1, 2003). Twee Rivieren Journal; Bushmen Squeeze Money From a Humble Cactus. New York Times
^ MacLean DB, Luo LG. Increased ATP content/production in the hypothalamus may be a signal for energy-sensing of satiety: studies of the anorectic mechanism of a plant steroidal glycoside. Brain Research. 2004 Sep 10;1020(1-2):1-11.
^ Duenwald, Mary (April 19, 2005) An Appetite Killer for a Killer Appetite? Not Yet. New York Times
^ ^a ^b Kathleen Doheney, Hoodia: Lots of Hoopla, Little Science; Few studies support the promise of the South African appetite suppressant, but believers abound WebMD, Sept 6, 2006, Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD (last accessed 3-24-07)
^ Stahl, Lesley. African Plant May Help Fight Fat. CBS News 60 Minutes, Nov. 21, 2004.
^ ^a ^b ^c Engelhaupt, Erika (July 9, 2006). But do Hoodia diet pills actually work? Diet miracle from an African plant is a spam special. The Philadelphia Inquirer
^ Hoodia: lose weight without feeling hungry? (Subscription required) Consumer Reports 2006 Mar;71(3):49.
^ US Food and Drug Administration (March 26, 2004). Warning Letter for Weight Loss Products "TrimSpa Carb Blocker" and "TrimSpa Fat Blocker"
^ Hawaleshka, Danylo. Hoodia love: An appetite suppressant used by Bushmen is the diet world's newest fad. Macleans, August 03, 2005.
^ New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (October 16, 2003). New Jersey Sues Founder of Goen Seminars.
^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianweekly/outlook/story/0,,1383777,00.html
^ http://extratv.warnerbros.com/v2/news/0506/30/3/text.html

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Contents

Species

Medicinal uses

Scientific study

Hoodia Authentication

Media Coverage

Marketing and spam

References

External links

Contents

Species GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Medicinal uses

Scientific study

Hoodia Authentication

Media Coverage

Marketing and spam

References

External links

Species