The History of Kanna

Plants are integral to the healthcare practices of many ethnic groups. South Africans have relied on traditional plants for centuries and have been integral to the wellness practices of many.

Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E.Br. (Mesembryanthemaceae), commonly known as kanna or kougoed, is an indigenous plant from South Africa, where it was traditionally used by the native San and Khoikhoi tribes for hydration and refreshment, to combat fatigue, as a natural healer, and for general community and spiritual practices. Hunter-gatherers and herders utilize S. tortuosum to endure the rigors of hunting and to manage the stress associated with living in their arid and challenging environments.[1]

Kanna originates from the Karoo, a desert region in South Africa. The name “Karoo” comes from the Khoisan word “kuru,” meaning dry. Despite its arid conditions, minimal rainfall, and extreme temperature fluctuations, the Karoo is the most biodiverse desert on Earth. The Karoo, which spans across Western South Africa and into Namibia, is home to over 6000 species of succulents, birds, reptiles, mammals and scorpions, including Succulent Karoo(Wild Kanna).

The first European documentation of Kanna was by Dutch explorer Jan van Riebeeck in 1662, who traded with the locals for the plant.[2] By the late 17th century, the region where Kanna was abundant became known as ‘Channaland,’ named by its inhabitants because of the plentiful presence of both the Eland antelope and the Sceletium plant.

The oldest written document is an approximately 435 year-old painting done by Simon van der Stel in 1685, the first governor of the Dutch Cape Colony. According to historical records, the plant is perennial with a short-life, has creeping stems, overlapping leaves with bright water cells on their surfaces.

Carl Peter Thunberg, a Swedish botanist and physician, significantly advanced the study of Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) during his travels in South Africa. In 1773, Thunberg recorded the preparation methods of the indigenous Khoikhoi people, who would beat the plant along with its roots and leaves, then twist it into a form resembling pig-tail tobacco. Thunberg’s observations introduced the broader scientific community to Kanna’s traditional uses, emphasizing its significance in local cultures for stress management and enhancing endurance in harsh environments.[3] He noted that Kanna was revered as a valuable substance and the local people would transport it over great distances for the purposes of trade.

The first study of the phytochemical components of S. Tortuosum, was done in 1898 by Meiring, specifically looking at the alkaloids. [4] Additional research by Zwicky (1914), isolated alkaloids, including mesembrine, mesembrenine, and mesembrinol from the Sceletium plant.[5]  Later studies would support these findings in addition to uncovering new alkaloids. [6] More recent studies have also confirmed these findings as well as noting that the main active component in S. Tortuosum is mesembrine.[7]

Footnotes:

[1] Dimpfel W., Schombert L., Gericke N. Electropharmacogram of Sceletium tortuosum extract based on spectral local field power in conscious freely moving rats. J. Ethnopharmacol. 2016;177:140–147.

[2] A Chewable Cure “Kanna”: Biological and Pharmaceutical Properties of Sceletium tortuosum - PMC (nih.gov)

[3] https://kanna-info.com/history-of-kanna History of Kanna.

[4] Gericke N., Viljoen A.M. Sceletium—A review update. J. Ethnopharmacol. 2008;119:653–663. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2008.07.043. 

[5] Popelak A., Lettenbauer G. The mesembrine alkaloids. In: Manske R.H.F., editor. The Alkaloids. Volume 9. Academic Press; New York, NY, USA: 1967. pp. 467–482.

[6] Krstenansky J.L. Mesembrine alkaloids: Review of their occurrence, chemistry, and pharmacology. J. Ethnopharmacol. 2017;195:10–19. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.12.004

[7] Schmid R., Van Wyk B.-E., Van Oudtshoorn B., Gericke N. Medicinal Plants of South Africa. Taxon. 1998:47. doi: 10.2307/1223627.