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Hoodia
gordonii is an endangered plant native to South Africa and Namibia,
although it can be found in some other nearby places is well. It is a
spiny, and leafless plant which is being famous through history for its
apparent medicinal uses. The flowers are particularly unpleasant,
having a smell of rotten meat and usually being pollinated by flies.
Being a protected plant, the harvesting of Hoodia
may only be done in the wild and only buy certain companies which have
a licence to do so. The plant is currently selling for $130 per
kilogram on the street, down from $250 per kilogram back in 2007. The
products which contain Hoodia are currently still widely marketed.
The indigenous populations of South Africa have used the plant in the
past due to its supposed abilities to treat medical ailments such as
indigestion and minor infections. The plant is also been used as an
appetite suppressant, most notably in the Kalahari Desert during long
hunting trips. Because of this, the plant has become very famous and a
number of organisations have capitalised on this, toting it as an
effective weight loss product.
In 1977 scientists isolated the active ingredient, which is supposed to
have an appetite suppressant affect. It was eventually patented in
1996. However, since then numerous scientific studies have yielded no
proof that the plant actually has any real medicinal benefits,
including that of suppressing the appetite. Due to this, it has still
not won the approval of the Food And Drug Administration. Most
reputable companies and professional dieticians do not recommend it
because of this.
Currently, the plant is an endangered species. There are a number of
restrictions on its export and in most cases it is not allowed to be
harvested. International trade in the plant is currently heavily
monitors under the Convention Of International Trade Of Endangered
Species. Without going for a number of bureaucratic procedures and
obtaining a number of certificates it is illegal to export out of
Africa.
Currently in the United States there are four independent laboratories
which are still conducting some tests to see if the plant has any
medicinal advantages. A great deal of media coverage has existed to
market the plant and its supposed properties, but most of this
advertising is proven dishonest.
Because the weight loss industry is such a large one, especially on the
Internet, a large number of organisations are still selling products
containing the ingredients of the plant and claiming that he can assist
weight loss by suppressing the appetite. Such companies claim that the
plants are lowers blood pressure which in turn reduces the appetite.
Today, products based on Hoodia can be found all over the Internet and
in a number of drug stores although in certain countries it is
restricted if not illegal entirely. This is mostly because of its
status as an endangered species and the restrictions on its imports.
Hoodia gordonii products come in a number of forms. These forms include, but are not limited to, tablets, capsules, dietary supplements and liquid tinctures.
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