Hoodia is actually a cactus like plant,  that  grows naturally in the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. This plant has been known for its medicinal properties for more than 2000 years. It has about 13 subspecies of which Hoodia gordonii is a potent appetite suppressant. In the 1990s, a British company called Phytopharm discovered a chemical component in Hoodia gordonii that could be used as an appetite suppressant. 

Hoodia 57 Chemical composition

 The active ingredient in Hoodia gordonii is a substance called P57 or P57AS3. Chemically it is an oxypregnane steroidal glycoside, which acts as an anorectic agent. The substance P 57 was found to be present only in Hoodia gordonii and hence this subspecies has gained importance over the others.

Animal studies have been done on rats to determine the mechanism of action of Hoodia 57. A study was conducted recently by injecting a purified extract of P57 in the cerebral ventricles of experimental rats. It showed stimulation of the satiety centre of the hypothalamus. This study showed that there was a 50 to 150% increase in the content of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) molecules in the neurons of the hypothalamus. The 24-hour consumption of food in these experimental rats was reduced by about 40 to 60 %. Human trials carried out by Phytopharm in 2001 also indicated a statistically significant weight loss and loss of body fat in overweight individuals.

Caution about Hoodia 57

Though Hoodia 57 is a completely natural product, newspapers have reported death due to hunger and thirst after its consumption. This drug is known to be metabolized in the liver and hence there is a potential that it interacts with other drugs that are also metabolized in the liver especially warfarin, oral contraceptive pills etc. More large-scale trials will be required in the coming years done on patients with diabetes, hypertension and other risk factors to determine the safety of Hoodia 57.

If you have any chronic long-standing medical illness avoid the use of Hoodia 57 as its complete profile of drug interactions and adverse effects are not yet known.Check the purity of the substance you purchase. Most pure forms may contain natural fiber as filler and vitamin C or L-ascorbate. Some components added in surrogate Hoodia products are magnesium stearate, gaur gum, caffeine, cellulose and silica. It is always better to begin therapy with Hoodia 57 after consulting a physician who rules out any obvious risk factors.