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In studying Hoodia patent law struggles, I am interested in how sovereign power, in the service of neoliberal bioeconomies, values some forms of knowledge over others. I examine how techniques of governmentality such as patent law, benefit sharing contracts, bioprospecting permits, and prior informed consent agreements are being used to structure inequitable forms of citizenship based upon whose knowledge and intellectual labor matters more to the neoliberal project of the nation-state. In particular, I ask how relevant social actors make claims for rights, benefits, and protection under the law based upon a vulnerability to their processes and ways of knowing in order to participate more fully within global market economies. In addition, I examine how social actors articulate, position, and rework concepts of nature and culture as they describe their practices related to the plant in order to secure rights under patent law and benefit sharing legislation.

This study presents a constructivist grounded theory study of curation and biopiracy of the San people's knowledge about Hoodia. The "discoveries" and records of the Hoodia species by Carl P. Thunberg, Francis Masson, as well as the recorded experience of Rudolf Marloth, led to scientific experiments and commercial trials in an attempt to develop slimming drugs. This study has identified key layers and knowledge domains that have added new layers of information and knowledge to traditional knowledge concerning the use of Hoodia for medicinal purposes. The study traces the movement of Indigenous knowledge from the San to the CSIR, from CSIR to Phytopharm, Pfizer and Unilever, through the licencing of a patent on Hoodia. An emergent theory based on the concept of palimpsest suggests that erasures of the existing traditional knowledge occurred as new layers of knowledge were added or applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic syndrome is recognized as a proinflammatory condition leading to hepatic steatosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We tested the effects of a succulent species Hoodia parviflora N.E. Br., of the genus Hoodia sweetex Dence, on animal models of NASH and insulin resistance (ob/ob mouse and the sand rat Psammomys obesus). IL6 secretion was evaluated by ELISA and hepatic signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 by Western blot. We followed liver enzymes, weight, glucose, hepatic histology, hepatic triglycerides (TGs), and total fat and serum insulin. Oral administration of extracts derived from H. parviflora alleviated the insulin resistance manifested by improved glucose tolerance tests. Treatment alleviated the liver injury noted by a decrease in liver enzyme levels, improved intrahepatic TG content, total hepatic fat, and improved hepatic histology. Similarly, treatment with H. parviflora reduced hepatic inflammation in mice with Concanavalin A-induced hepatitis. These effects were independent of food consumption and weight. H. parviflora was associated with alleviated insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and liver injury. The data support its use as a liver protector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief commentary focuses on the unresolved access and benefit sharing (ABS) challenges of transboundary resources and situations where getting prior informed consent is not possible. In the absence of the global mechanism envisaged by the Nagoya Protocol, satisfactory ABS deals can still be struck but these are unlikely to be either common or effective in generating substantial benefits for the indigenous peoples. The commentary closes by underlining the moral imperative of ensuring that traditional knowledge and genetic resource users comply with the laws and customary practices established by indigenous groups rather than simply impose their own norms. However, there are many legal and conceptual obstacles to be overcome first.

A obesidade é atualmente o principal problema de saúde em países desenvolvidos e em desenvolvimento. Diversos recursos terapêuticos têm sido empregados para o tratamento da obesidade destacando-se os fitoterápicos, consagrados pelo conhecimento popular. Nesse contexto, a planta Hoodia gordonii tem despertado atualmente grande interesse mundial, principalmente pelas recentes descobertas e comprovações científicas da inibição do apetite e da sede pelo glicosídeo ativo P57 isolado de espécies da planta. Apesar disso, tais efeitos ainda não foram avaliados e comprovados em amostras comerciais do pó de H. gordonii (PHG), não existindo evidências científicas que garantam a sua eficácia e segurança. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar ensaios biológicos com ratos para avaliar a atividade farmacológica e a toxicidade de amostras comerciais do pó de H. gordonii. As amostras foram administradas por gavagem em doses equivalentes a 20 vezes as recomendadas para humanos em ratas Wistar durante 4 semanas sendo avaliados os parâmetros indicadores do efeito terapêutico. Após as 4 semanas, os animais foram sacrificados, e amostras de sangue e órgãos foram coletados e submetidos à avaliação dos indicadores metabólicos, endócrinos, hematológicos e histopatológicos. Os resultados demonstraram que para todos os parâmetros avaliados não houve diferenças significativas entre o grupo controle que recebeu somente solução salina estéril e os grupos tratados com PHG indicando que os mesmos, apesar de não apresentarem quaisquer indícios de toxicidade, são incapazes de produzir os supostos efeitos de inibição de apetite e consequente tratamento da obesidade.Obesity is currently the main health problem in developed and developing countries. Several therapeutic methods have been employed for the treatment of obesity, especially herbal medicines, highlighted by popular knowledge. In this context, the plant Hoodia gordonii has currently aroused great interest worldwide, especially for recent discoveries and scientific proof of inhibition of appetite and thirst by the active glycoside P57 isolated from plant species. Nevertheless, such effects have not been evaluated and proven for commercial samples of H. gordonii powder (PHG), with no scientific evidence to ensure its effectiveness and safety. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct biological tests with rats to evaluate the pharmacological activity and toxicity of commercial samples of H. gordonii powder. The samples were administered through gavage, at doses equivalent to 20 times those recommended for humans, in female Wistar rats during 4 weeks for evaluation of the parameters indicative of therapeutic efficacy. After 4 weeks, the animals were sacrificed and blood and organ samples were collected and subjected to the evaluation of metabolic, endocrine, hematological and histopathological indicators. Results showed that for all evaluated parameters, there were no significant differences between the control group that only received sterile saline solution and the groups treated with PHG, indicating that the latter, although presenting no evidence of toxicity, are unable to produce the alleged effects of appetite inhibition and subsequent obesity treatment.

Drawing upon feminist postcolonial technoscience, I examine how neoliberal legal orders of patent ownership and benefit sharing are producing new notions of recognition as structured through gendered and racialized colonial pasts. Central to this inquiry are struggles over the patenting of Hoodia gordonii, a succulent plant in Southern Africa used for generations by San peoples to stave off hunger and then patented by South African scientists in 1998 to treat obesity. In response, San peoples negotiated a benefit-sharing agreement in 2003, whereby scientists agreed to give them a percentage of royalties from future Hoodia sales. Through historical, ethnographic research, I examine how South African scientists and Indigenous San peoples, through claims for patent ownership and benefit sharing, simultaneously reinforce and contest racialized and gendered histories related to colonial bioprospecting of Hoodia and historical constructions of San peoples as Other. In doing so, I consider how South African scientists and San peoples are mediated in similar, yet unequal, ways through the cultural, historical, material, and socio-legal structures of the political economy of plant medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feminist sociolegal studies have recently taken up the technicalities of doctrines, documents, and regulations to better understand the law. In an affiliated move, feminist science studies turned to the materialities of theories, practices, and nonhuman organisms to make critical sense of science. These methodological turns focus not on gender, per se, but on precise mechanisms of law and science that structure, reinforce, and reconfigure power and inequality. Drawing on these methodological approaches, this article attends to the technicalities and materialities of patent ownership and benefit sharing in South Africa in regards to San peoples' struggles over the patenting of the Hoodia gordonii plant. An examination of patent documents, benefit-sharing agreements, legislative appendixes, and the biology of plants generates an understanding of how patent ownership, rather than being natural or value-neutral, is a historical and sociocultural process shaping, refashioning, and being inscribed across multiple scales of nation-state jurisdictions, divergent ways of knowing, and biochemical orderings of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African cactiform Hoodia gordonii (Asclepiadaceae) has been used for thousands of years by Xhomani Bushmen as an anorexant during hunting trips and has been proposed as a new agent for the management of body weight. However, its in vivo targets and molecular mechanisms remain elusive. GPR119, a G protein-coupled receptor highly expressed in pancreatic β cells and intestinal L cells, has been demonstrated to facilitate glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and represents a novel and attractive target for the therapy of metabolic disorders. Here, we disclose that Gordonoside F (a steroid glycoside isolated from H. gordonii), but not the widely known P57, activates specifically GPR119. Successful synthesis of Gordonoside F facilitates further characterization of this compound. Gordonoside F promotes GSIS both in vitro and in vivo and reduces food intake in mice. These effects are mediated by GPR119 because GPR119 knockout prevents the therapeutic effects of Gordonoside F. Interestingly, the appetite-suppressing effect of Hoodia extract was also partially blocked by GPR119 knockout. Our results demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that GPR119 is a direct target and one of the major mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of the popular "weight loss" herb H. gordonii. Given the long history of safe application of this herb in weight control, it is foreseeable that the novel scaffold of Gordonoside F provides a promising opportunity to develop new drugs in treating metabolic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hoodia gordonii is a supplement of natural origin which is known for its appetite suppressant activity. Owing to its anorectic activity, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of H. gordonii supplementation on metabolic changes and appetite regulatory peptides during calorie restriction. Male albino rats were divided into three groups (n=12 in each) — Control, Calorie Restricted (CR, 25% for 5days), Calorie Restricted and H. gordonii supplemented (CR+HG, organic solvent extract given orally for 5days at a dose of 100mg/kg bwt.). The regulatory peptides i.e. ghrelin, leptin, CCK, NPY, insulin, IGF-1, corticosterone, thyroid hormones, adiponectin, serotonin were determined. On comparison with CR rats, modulations were noticed in the appetite regulatory peptides and biochemical variables of the CR+HG rats. A significant decline in ghrelin and increase in CCK was observed. The CR group exhibited a significant decrease in leptin, IGF-1, plasma and whole brain serotonin with a significant increase in the ghrelin and thyroxin levels. These changes indicate altered metabolic responses and hunger suppression which seem to be caused by H. gordonii with CR along with the changes occurring due to CR itself. It is concluded that H. gordonii can modulate hunger during CR and may be used for better adherence to dietary restriction regime. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Slimming cactus ( Hoodia), found only in southwestern Africa, is a well-known herbal product for losing weight. Consequently, Hoodia extracts are sought-after worldwide despite a CITES Appendix II status. The failure to eradicate illegal trade is due to problems with detecting and identifying Hoodia using morphological and chemical characters. Our aim was to evaluate the potential of molecular identification of Hoodia based on DNA barcoding. Screening of nrITS1 and psbA- trnH DNA sequences from 26 accessions of Ceropegieae resulted in successful identification, while conventional chemical profiling using DLI-MS led to inaccurate detection and identification of Hoodia. The presence of Hoodia in herbal products was also successfully established using DNA sequences. A validation procedure of our DNA barcoding protocol demonstrated its robustness to changes in PCR conditions. We conclude that DNA barcoding is an effective tool for Hoodia detection and identification which can contribute to preventing illegal trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hoodia parviflora is being developed commercially for use in weight loss food and dietary supplement products. As part of the safety assessment process for H. parviflora, a freeze dried powder preparation was tested in a 90-day oral toxicity study with reproductive/recovery component in rats. Groups of 10 male and female Sprague–Dawley rats were administered H. parviflora dried powder at doses of 0, 100, 250, and 350mg/kg body weight/day by gavage for an 11-week pre-mating period and a 14-day co-habitation period, and for females, through lactation day 4. An additional 5 rats/sex/group received 0 or 350mg/kg bw/day for 90days and were sacrificed 28days after cessation of treatment. Statistically significant, non-adverse reductions in body weight, body weight gain, food consumption and food efficiency were observed at 250 and 350mg/kg/day in females. Food consumption was reduced in high-dose males. There were no adverse effects on hematological, blood biochemical, coagulation or urinalysis parameters or on the results of the functional observational battery and histopathological examinations. No evidence of any effect was noted on reproductive or developmental parameters. The NOAEL for dried H. parviflora powder was 350mg/kg bw/day, the highest permissible dose tested, for both male and female rats. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hoodia parviflora is being developed commercially for use in weight loss food and dietary supplement products. Its effects are ascribed to a number of glycosides that have been shown to be present in plant extracts from several Hoodia species, the best known of which is H. gordonii. H. parviflora has been identified as an alternative to H. gordonii, and, as part of the process to develop H. parviflora, in vitro genotoxicity tests, as recommended by recent European Food Safety Authority guidance, were conducted on a dried powder preparation of H. parviflora aerial parts. The preparation was tested for reverse mutation at doses up to 5,000μg/plate in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537, and in Escherichia coli WP2 uvrA TA, both in the presence and in the absence of an exogenous source of metabolic activation (rat liver S9). In addition, the dried powder was evaluated in an in vitro cytotoxicity chromosome aberration assay using human lymphocytes. Test conditions included both a 4 (up to 2500μg/mg) and 44-h exposure period (up to 1000μg/mg) and the incorporation of an exogenous source of metabolic activation (4-h exposure only). H. parviflora dried powder was non-genotoxic in both in vitro assays. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Despite legal constraints, Hoodia gordonii is marketed in many over-the-counter forms claiming to promote weight loss by reducing appetite. The belief that this plant is an efficacious appetite suppressant is based in traditional knowledge from the San tribes of the Namibian desert. We tested the efficacy of one commercial form of this plant extract to reduce feeding behavior, and therefore promote weight loss, in two different organisms. We used Sprague-Dawley rats, Rattus norvegicus, as a human analog to predict the usefulness of this plant as a dietary supplement for humans. We also used the adult mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, to compare an invertebrate species with the vertebrate results. T. molitor is a close relative of many beetle species native to the same region in which H. gordonii naturally grows. The control group contained organisms not exposed to H. gordonii. The experimental group received a body mass equivalent dosage of H. gordonii in solution with distilled water for a month. We monitored food consumption and body weight for one month to compare the control group results with those of the organisms that ingested H. gordonii solution. This study does not provide support that the commercial plant product used is efficacious as a hunger suppressing dietary supplement in either species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caralluma fimbriata extract has received Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status for use as a nutraceutical to combat the most serious public health concern ( i.e., obesity). More than 260 species grouped under the genus Caralluma (Family Apocynaceae) are distributed in tropical Asia and Mediterranean regions of the globe. Ethnobotanically, some species have been used as traditional and modern dietary ingredients to suppress appetite. Many species of Caralluma are commonly used as traditional medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, diabetes, leprosy, paralysis, and inflammation and have antimalarial, antitrypanosomal, anti-ulcer, antioxidant, antinociceptive, and antiproliferative activities. The genus is known for compounds like pregnane glycosides, flavonoid glycoside, flavones, magastigmane glycosides, pregnane steroids, steroidal glycosides, saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, aromatic and nonaromatic volatile compounds, and β-sitosterol. An extract of C. fimbriata (Slimaluna®, Gencor Nutrients, Anaheim, CA, USA) is used as an anti-obesity agent and appetite suppressor. It is also seen that the pregnane glycosides isolated and identified from African Hoodia are reported as anti-obesity and appetite-suppressant compounds. On reviewing the studies undertaken on the chemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutic potential of Caralluma, it is concluded that the genus is also composed of pregnane glycosides as one of the major constituents. Availability of pregnane glycosides in Caralluma is an indication of the appetite-suppressant property of this genus. This coupled with the GRAS status of the extract of C. fimbriata has opened the possibility of developing an anti-obesity/appetite-suppressant product from other species of Caralluma. The main objective of this article is to review the studies undertaken on the plant in light of further research for anti-obesity drugs and nutraceuticals from species of Caralluma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extracts from Hoodia gordonii have been shown to decrease food intakes and body weights in animals and were proposed as a food supplement or ingredient for weight management. Objective: We assessed the safety and efficacy of a 15-d repeated consumption of H. gordonii purified extract (HgPE) relative to a placebo in humans. Design: Healthy, overweight women, who were stratified by percentage body fat, received either HgPE (n = 25) or a placebo (n = 24) for 15 d. Subjects were resident in a clinic for a 4-d run-in period and a 15-d treatment period in which they received 2 servings/d of 1110 mg HgPE or a placebo formulated in a yogurt drink 1 h before breakfast and dinner. Subjects were otherwise allowed to eat ad libitum from standardized menus. Results: There were no serious adverse events, but HgPE was less well tolerated than was the placebo because of episodes of nausea, emesis, and disturbances of skin sensation. Blood pressure, pulse, heart rate, bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase showed significant (P < 0.05) increases in the HgPE group. Mean effects on ad libitum energy intakes and body weights did not differ significantly between the HgPE- and placebo-treatment groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: In comparison with a matched placebo, the consumption of HgPE for 15 d appeared to be associated with significant adverse changes in some vital signs and laboratory parameters. HgPE was less well tolerated than was the placebo and did not show any significant effects on energy intakes or body weights relative to the placebo. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01306422. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Oral administration of extracts of the Hoodia gordonii (H.g.) plant reduced both food intake and body weight in healthy animals. Due to unfavorable physicochemical properties for gastrointestinal dissolution poor oral bioavailability was predicted for the steroid glycoside H.g.-12, a putative active compound in H. gordonii extract. Thus, absolute bioavailability of H.g.-12 was determined in pigs as a function of various dosage forms (colloidal nanoscale particles, nanoscale emulsion, mesophase, SEDDS or unformulated crude extract with or without a co-dosed meal). In a randomized cross over design plasma concentrations of H.g.-12 were determined by LC–MRM–MS analysis after intragastric or intravenous dose administration. Pharmacokinetic characteristics (absolute bioavailability, T max, C max and mean absorption time) were determined by compartmental and non-compartmental analysis. Absolute bioavailability of H.g.-12 was 46±13.4% (mean±SD) and no meal or formulation dependent differences were seen. This result indicates that slow or incomplete gastrointestinal dissolution was not a limiting factor for systemic bioavailability, suggesting a large freedom of choice for the formulation of products containing H. gordonii extracts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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Products claiming to contain Hoodia gordonii have, over the 2000s, flooded the American marketplace; advertisements for dozens of brands promise to convert millions of ordinary American bodies into leaner, more desirable bodies. These products promise to erase cravings leading to overconsumption and aid the consumer in shedding the baggage of modernity. The marketplace success, evidenced by the proliferation of products claiming to contain Hoodia, is not because these products claim to accomplish what all diet programs and products do; if Hoodia assisted simple weight loss, it would not have as powerful a place in the American imaginary: all other diet aids claim the same thing. Hoodia's mythic status is achieved because the narrative surrounding the Southern African succulent touches something deeper in the American psyche: marketing strategies connect themselves with the powerful desire to return, at least symbolically and temporarily, to prelapsarian, Edenic locations, where magical consumables promising to erase the malaises of postindustrial societies still exist in museumized perpetuity. Furthermore, the claim that Hoodia can actually divest the consumer of the desire to consume is, in the American landscape of overabundancy and food-bombardment, almost as powerful as an antidote to death. It promises to safeguard the consumer and make the body and psyche 'impenetrable' to the daily warfare within the consumer state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An HPLC–ESI–MS/MS method using collision induced dissociation – multiple reaction monitoring was developed for the quantification of eight Hoodia gordonii steroid glycosides and their metabolites in porcine plasma samples. The method was validated for the three most important glycosides and was successfully applied also for the related glycosides and metabolites. The limits of quantification were 0.04ngml−1 for the two main steroid glycosides and 0.1ngml−1 for the detiglated metabolites. These limits are sufficiently low to allow monitoring the concentration–time profiles in plasma after feeding H. gordonii. The standard deviations of the intra-day measurements were better than 20% for concentrations below 5ngml−1 and better than 10% for concentrations above 5ngml−1. The method was successfully applied to plasma samples collected from a porcine pharmacokinetics study. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Steroid glycosides extracted from the succulent plant Hoodia gordonii are suggested to have appetite-suppressant effects both in animals and humans. Yet, the mechanisms underlying the putative satiety action of Hoodia steroid glycosides are not fully understood. We found that H.g.-12, a steroid glycoside purified from H. gordonii extract, initiated cholecystokinin (CCK) secretion both ex vivo in rat intestine and in vitro in the human enteroendocrine (EC) cell line HuTu-80. CCK is known to exert central effects on appetite suppression via the vagus nerve which afferents terminate in the gut wall. Recent data show that G protein-coupled receptors signaling bitter taste (T2Rs) are ex- pressed in both rodent and human gastrointestinal tract. It was further demonstrated that bitter sensing is functional in mouse STC- 1 EC cells and leads to CCK secretion via increased intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. Based on the bitter taste of H. gordonii purified extracts, we assessed whether H.g.- 12 could activate human bitter receptors. The steroid glycoside activated selectively TAS2R7 and TAS2R14, both heterologously expressed in HEK 293 cells. Removing an essential structural feature from the steroid glycoside inhibited H.g.-12-induced Ca2+ increase in TAS2R14-expressing HEK cells and abolished H.g.-12-induced CCK secretion from human EC cells. Similarly, a nonspecific bitter receptor antagonist abolished H.g.-12- induced CCK secretion in HuTu-80 cells. These results point to a potential route of action by which components of Hoodia might influence appetite control. Our data also provide additional evidence that bitter taste-sensing mechanisms are coupled to hormone release from EC cells in the intestine. Moreover, we identified a natural agonist of TAS2R7 and TAS2R14 for further studies on the role of bitter receptors in satiety control and food intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing rates of adult obesity and its negative health consequences are likely to become an increasing burden to the Canadian health care system. Consumers are looking for treatment options and often try the natural health products that are heavily promoted as safe, fast and effective. In this case report, MH, a 57-year-old overweight female wanted advice regarding whether she should use the natural product Hoodia to help her attain her weight loss goals. A literature search was conducted using Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database and IPA from inception to March 2009. The internet, files of the authors and bibliographies of articles were searched for additional references. No published, peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials examining efficacy of Hoodia were found. Unpublished data from two small trials reported promising results with no adverse events. However, this leaves many unanswered questions regarding the use of Hoodia for weight loss such as the appropriate dose and duration, short and long term safety and use in patients with concomitant diseases. Literature suggests that some commercial products may not actually contain Hoodia at all. Additionally, Hoodia is not yet listed in the Canadian Licensed Natural Health Products Database meaning products sold in Canada may not meet Canadian regulatory standards. Upon discussing this information, MH decided not to use Hoodia, and other evidence-based recommendations were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hoodia gordonii, with the perceived active ingredient P57 (a steroidal glycoside), is a succulent plant which has gained commercial popularity as an anti-obesity preparation. The content of P57 is used as an indication of the quality of the raw material. Traditionally, quantification of P57 is performed using liquid-chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC–MS) which is expensive and laborious. Vibrational spectroscopy methods such as FT-Raman spectroscopy offer a simple, less expensive and rapid alternative. The potential of FT-Raman to quantify and identify the location of P57 in H. gordonii raw plant material was investigated. LC–MS was used to determine the concentration of P57 in 145 plant samples and the data was used to develop a calibration model with chemometric techniques based on the partial least squares projections to latent structures (PLS) algorithm. The performance of the calibration model was evaluated according to the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) and correlation coefficient (R 2). Pre-processing with orthogonal signal correction (OSC) yielded a model which predicted P57 content based on the FT-Raman spectra with a correlation coefficient (R 2) value of 0.9986 and an RMSEP of 0.004%. These results demonstrate that FT-Raman spectroscopy holds great potential to rapidly quantify P57 in H. gordonii raw material with high accuracy as an alternative to LC–MS analysis. In addition, the spatial distribution of P57 in a cross-section of an H. gordonii stem sample was demonstrated using FT-Raman mapping showing that P57 is concentrated throughout the cortex which was confirmed with LC–MS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The feasibility of quantifying the perceived active ingredient (P57) in Hoodia gordonii raw material using Fourier transform near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometric techniques was investigated. The concentration of P57 (a triterpene glycoside) was determined in 146 plant samples with liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and these values were used to develop a calibration model based on the partial least squares projections to latent structures (PLS) and orthogonal projections to latent structures (O-PLS) regression algorithms. The performance of each calibration model was evaluated according to the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) and correlation coefficient (R2). The PLS model with 2nd derivative pre-processing predicted P57 content based on the FT-NIR spectra with the best accuracy and a correlation coefficient (R2) value of 0.9629 and the lowest RMSEP of 0.03%. These results demonstrated that FT-NIR spectroscopy can be used to rapidly quantify P57 in H. gordonii raw material with high accuracy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hoodia gordonii which contains the perceived active molecule, P57, is a plant used in many weight loss products that are highly susceptible to adulteration due to increased public demand and limited availability. Rapid and simple methods for authentication and confirmation of the presence of P57 are desirable for the quality control of H. gordonii raw material and products. High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) analysis of several H. gordonii raw material samples collected from different locations as well as weight loss products was carried out on silica gel plates and developed in a mobile phase of toluene:chloroform:ethanol (40:40:12.5v/v/v). Liebermann–Burchard (LB) reagent was used as derivatising agent since it is specific for glycosides and triterpenes (such as P57) and the plates were viewed under UV light at 365nm. This method produced good separation of the compounds in complex mixtures with well-defined bands including that of the P57 band (R f 0.42), which was confirmed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC–MS) after preparative thin layer chromatography (TLC). All the HPTLC results obtained for the H. gordonii raw materials and products were confirmed with quantitative LC–MS analyses, which confirmed the qualitative reliability of the HPTLC method. The HPTLC method was used successfully to develop a chemical fingerprint for authentication and reliable confirmation of the presence of P57 in H. gordonii raw material and products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The rise in prevalence of obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver disease has been linked to increased consumption of fructose-containing foods or beverages. Our aim was to compare the effects of moderate consumption of fructose-containing and non-caloric sweetened beverages on feeding behavior, metabolic and serum lipid profiles, and hepatic histology and serum liver enzymes, in rats. Behavioral tests determined preferred (12.5–15%) concentrations of solutions of agave, fructose, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a combination of HFCS and Hoodia (a putative appetite suppressant), or the non-caloric sweetener Stevia (n =5/gp). HFCS intake was highest, in preference and self-administration tests. Groups (n =10/gp) were then assigned to one of the sweetened beverages or water as the sole source of liquid at night (3 nights/wk, 10wks). Although within the normal range, serum cholesterol was higher in the fructose and HFCS groups, and serum triglycerides were higher in the Agave, HFCS, and HFCS/Hoodia groups (vs. water-controls, p <0.05). Liver histology was normal in all groups with no evidence of steatosis, inflammation, or fibrosis; however serum alanine aminotransferase was higher in the fructose and HFCS groups (vs. water-controls, p <0.05). Serum inflammatory marker levels were comparable among Stevia, agave, fructose, HFCS, and water-consuming groups, however levels of IL-6 were significantly lower in association with the ingestion of Hoodia. There were no differences in terminal body weights, or glucose tolerance assessed by 120-min IVGTTs performed at the end of the 10-week regimen. We conclude that even moderate consumption of fructose-containing liquids may lead to the onset of unfavorable changes in the plasma lipid profile and one marker of liver health, independent of significant effects of sweetener consumption on body weight. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The science of ethnobotany is reviewed in light of its multi-disciplinary contributions to natural product research for the development of pharmaceuticals and pharmacological tools. Some of the issues reviewed involve ethical and cultural perspectives of healthcare and medicinal plants. While these are not usually part of the discussion of pharmacology, cultural concerns potentially provide both challenges and insight for field and laboratory researchers. Plant evolutionary issues are also considered as they relate to development of plant chemistry and accessing this through ethnobotanical methods. The discussion includes presentation of a range of CNS-active medicinal plants that have been recently examined in the field, laboratory and/or clinic. Each of these plants is used to illustrate one or more aspects about the valuable roles of ethnobotany in pharmacological research. We conclude with consideration of mutually beneficial future collaborations between field ethnobotanists and pharmacologists. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hoodia gordonii, an appetite suppressant, is used extensively as a botanical dietary supplement. Microscopy and molecular genetic procedures are provided for identification and differentiation between H. gordonii, Opuntia ficus indica, and other related Hoodia species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recently, ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) has proven to be one of the most promising developments in the area of high-speed chromatographic separations with increased sensitivity and resolution. In this work, a reverse phase chromatographic method was developed using UPLC for the chemical fingerprint analysis of 12 hoodigosides, related genera and dietary supplements. The method is also used for the quantification of P57 in Hoodia species and dietary supplements that claim to contain Hoodia. The analysis was performed on a Waters Acquity UPLC system with an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column (100mm×2.1mm I.D., 1.7μm) and a gradient elution of water and acetonitrile, both containing 0.05% formic acid with a run time of 15min. The calibration curve of P57 showed good linearity (r 2 >0.999) within the established range (1–100μg/mL). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were found to be 0.3 and 0.9μg/mL, respectively. The RSD for intra- and inter-day were less than 3.0%, and the recovery efficiency as 97–103%. LC–mass spectrometry coupled with electrospray ionization (ESI) interface method is described for the identification of P57. The developed method was successfully applied to the identification of 12 oxypregnane glycosides in four different species of Hoodia, 23 related genera and 35 dietary supplements that claim to contain H. gordonii. The UPLC profiles of various plant samples were compared for the presence of oxypregnane glycosides. Different sample matrices were successfully analyzed, providing the wide range of applicability of this method, including gels, capsules, tablets, sprays, tea bags, snack bars, powders and juices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-UV and HPLC–Mass Spectrometry (MS) methods were developed for the quantitative analysis of the family of Hoodia gordonii steroid glycosides with appetite suppressing properties in dried plant material, in purified and enriched extracts and in various prototype food-products fortified with H. gordonii extracts. For solid materials, e.g. dried plants or for non-fatty foods, extraction of the steroid glycosides is performed using methanol. For products where the steroid glycosides are present in an oil matrix, direct injection of the oil after dilution in tetrahydrofuran is applied. The HPLC separation is performed on an octyl-modified reversed-phase column in the gradient mode with UV detection at λ =220nm. Quantification is performed against an external calibration line prepared using either one of the pure steroid glycosides or geranyl-tiglate. Short- and long-term repeatabilities of the methods are better than 3 and 6%, respectively. Recoveries are better than 85%, even in the analysis of the least abundant steroid glycosides in a complex yoghurt drink. Linearity is better than 3–4 orders of magnitude and the detection limits are below approximately 2μgg−1 for the individual steroid glycosides in dried plant material and food products. HPLC–MS is used to confirm that the steroid glycosides contain the characteristic steroid core, the carbohydrate chain and the tigloyl group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article profiles government policies concerning so-called bioprospecting, where plants and natural resources are invested in for their perceived social benefits. The article discusses a range of issues, including the historical context, regulatory frameworks, the commercial use of biodiversity, access to biodiversity and the sharing of benefits, key policy issues, and a case study concerning the African plant Hoodia. The author also comments on the economic impact of bioprospecting on developing countries.

The article reports on the results of a chemical analysis of oxypregnane glycosides using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection in Hoodia gordonii, a succulent plant traditionally used in southern Africa for its appetite-suppressant properties. A description of the experimental set-up and measurement method is presented. The study concluded that chemical fingerprinting is one step towards ensuring quality in dietary supplements.

The market for botanical dietary supplements in the US has grown rapidly during the last 15 years. Use of newly introduced botanical ingredients has often outpaced an adequate scientific understanding of the ingredients themselves. This may lead to problems, including misidentification, mislabeling, adulteration, and toxicity related to the intended ingredient or one substituted for it. This article reviews recent work with several botanical ingredients ( Ephedra, Citrus species, Hoodia gordonii, Teucrium, isoflavones) that illustrates the complexity of the current situation and approaches that contribute to ensuring the quality of botanical ingredients. Recent work with contamination of botanical products by mycotoxins is also reviewed. The need for tools for botanical authentication and methods for reproducible extraction of bioactive constituents is critical. Such tools, and improved analytical techniques for identifying potentially bioactive constituents in fresh plant material and in concentrated extracts and for detection of hazardous contaminants, are expected to improve the overall quality and safety of botanical dietary supplement ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) demands equitable benefit-sharing from the use of biodiversity, but it falls short of defining fairness or equity. The Hoodia, a traditional medicinal plant of the San, has been patented without their prior consent, but belatedly a benefit-sharing agreement has been signed. This paper investigates the views and perceptions of the San communities on what embodies fairness and equity in relation to this agreement. This case study underlines a serious weakness of the CBD, as it demonstrates how significant inequities in knowledge and power between indigenous peoples and companies can result in definitions that are predominantly shaped by the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hoodigosides A–K (1–11), eleven new oxypregnane glycosides and a previously reported oxypregnane glycoside P57AS3 were isolated from the aerial parts of Hoodia gordonii. The structures of these 12-O-β-tigloyl isoramanone glycosides were determined on the basis of chemical evidence and extensive spectroscopic methods that include one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR. Cytotoxicity and antioxidant activities of these compounds were tested in cell based assays where they were found to be inactive. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article discusses the new discovery doctrine and its application to property rights and traditional lore and knowledge of indigenous peoples. The author cites the case of an appetite suppressant called hoodia that the indigenous San people of the South African Kalahari Desert area have used for centuries to minimize hunger and thirst during long hunting expeditions. The San people had no say in the ultimate sale of a patent for the hoodia molecule by a quasi-governmental group.

The article describes the determination of the appetite suppressant P57AS3 in Hoodia gordonii plant extracts and dietary supplements by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-ultraviolet method. P57AS3 is an oxypregnane steroidal glycoside. The method uses Phenomenex Gemini reversed-phase column using gradient mobile phase of water and acetonitrile containing 0.1 percent acetic acid.