Mesembryanthemum tortuosum explained

Mesembryanthemum tortuosum (many synonyms, including Sceletium tortuosum) is a succulent plant in the family Aizoaceae native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. It is known as the Namaqua skeletonfig, kanna, channa, kougoed (kauwgoed/ 'kougoed', prepared from 'fermenting' M. tortuosum^[1])—which literally means, 'chew(able) things' or 'something to chew'.

Eight species related to M. tortuosum have also been placed in the genus Sceletium: M. crassicaule, M. emarcidum, M. exalatum, M. expansum, M. archeri (S. rigidum), M. ladismithiense (S. strictum), M. tortuosum and M. varians.^[2]

History

The plant has been used by South African pastoralists and hunter-gatherers as a mood-altering substance from prehistoric times.^[3] The first known written account of the plant's use was in 1662 by Jan van Riebeeck. The traditionally prepared dried plant was often chewed and the saliva swallowed, but it has also been made into gel caps, teas and tinctures.^[4] It has also been used as a snuff and smoked.^[5]

Uses

M. tortuosum is traditionally used to fight stress and depression, relieve pain and alleviate hunger.^[5]

M. tortuosum has been studied to alleviate excessive nocturnal barking in dogs, or meowing in cats, in pets diagnosed with dementia.^[3]

Cultivation

M. tortuosum can be grown from seeds and be propagated from cuttings. Its cultivation and care are similar to cactaceae like Echinopsis. The optimal temperature is at least 16°C and it does not tolerate frost.^[6]

Pharmacology

M. tortuosum contains about 1–1.5% total alkaloids.^[5] A standardised ethanolic extract of dried M. tortuosum had an IC₅₀ for SERT of 4.3 μg/ml and for PDE4 inhibition of 8.5 μg/ml.^[2]

Mesembrine

Mesembrine is a major alkaloid present in M. tortuosum.^[7] There is about 0.3% mesembrine in the roots and 0.86% in the leaves, stems, and flowers of the plant.^[5]

Oxalates

Traditional and contemporary methods of preparation serve to reduce levels of potentially harmful oxalates found in M. tortuosum.^[5] An analysis indicated levels of 3.6–5.1% oxalate, which falls within the median range for crop plants, just like spinach or kale.^[5]

Distribution and habitat

M. tortuosum is found in 50 subpopulations in the Cape provinces from Namaqualand to Montagu and Aberdeen; in karroid habitat.^[8]

Conservation status

M. tortuosum is listed as least concern in the Red List of South African Plants, though it is facing a slow decline in population numbers due to harvesting for medicinal use.^[9]

See also

• Ethnomedicine
• Psychoactive plants
• San healing practices

External links

• Monograph on Sceletium tortuosum
• The past, present and possible future of kanna Video. Talk of Nigel Gericke at Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs. 2017.

Further reading

• Book: van Wyk. Ben-Erik. van Oudtshoorn. Bosch. Gericke. Nigel. Medicinal Plants of South Africa. 2009. Briza Publications. Pretoria, South Africa. 978-1-875093-37-3. 200. 2nd. Ben-Erik van Wyk .

Notes and References

1. Smith, M. T. . Field C. R. . Crouch N. R. . Hirst, M. . The Distribution of Mesembrine Alkaloids in Selected Taxa of the Mesembryanthemaceae and their Modification in the Sceletium Derived 'Kougoed' . Pharmaceutical Biology . 1998 . 36 . 3 . 173–179 . 10.1076/phbi.36.3.173.6350 . free .
2. Harvey, A. L. . Young, L. C. . Viljoen, A. M. . Gericke, N. P. . Pharmacological Actions of the South African Medicinal and Functional Food Plant Sceletium tortuosum and its Principal Alkaloids . Journal of Ethnopharmacology . 2011 . 137 . 3 . 1124–1129 . 21798331 . 10.1016/j.jep.2011.07.035 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150630183055/http://mypeacebeverage.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/2011-Harvey-et-al-JEP-Pharmacology.pdf . 2015-06-30 .
3. Gericke . N. . Viljoen . A. M. . Sceletium–A Review Update . Journal of Ethnopharmacology . 2008 . 119 . 3 . 653–663 . 10.1016/j.jep.2008.07.043 . 18761074 .
4. Manganyi . Madira Coutlyne . Bezuidenhout . Cornelius Carlos . Regnier . Thierry . Ateba . Collins Njie . 2021-04-28 . A Chewable Cure "Kanna": Biological and Pharmaceutical Properties of Sceletium tortuosum . Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) . 26 . 9 . 2557 . 10.3390/molecules26092557 . 1420-3049 . 8124331 . 33924742. free .
5. Smith, M. T. . Crouch, N. R. . Gericke, N. . Hirst, M. . Psychoactive Constituents of the Genus Sceletium N.E.Br. and other Mesembryanthemaceae: A Review . Journal of Ethnopharmacology . 1996 . 50 . 3 . 119–130 . 10.1016/0378-8741(95)01342-3 . 8691846 .
6. Web site: 2016-11-14 . CULTIVATION: How To Grow Healthy Kanna Plants . 2023-02-08 . Kanna Sceletium Tortuosum . en-US.
7. Coetzee . Dirk D. . López . Víctor . Smith . Carine . 2016-01-11 . High-mesembrine Sceletium extract (Trimesemine™) is a monoamine releasing agent, rather than only a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor . Journal of Ethnopharmacology . en . 177 . 111–116 . 10.1016/j.jep.2015.11.034 . 26615766 . 0378-8741.
8. Web site: Threatened Species Programme SANBI Red List of South African Plants . 2024-10-10 . redlist.sanbi.org.
9. Web site: Threatened Species Programme SANBI Red List of South African Plants . 2024-10-10 . redlist.sanbi.org.