title: Hoodia gordonii: to eat, or not to eat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hoodia gordonii (family Apocynaceae) has become known globally for its claimed effect of appetite suppression. Despite a relatively large body of evidence of the plant׳s chemical make-up, peer-reviewed studies to provide scientific information on physiological effects of Hoodia gordonii are relatively sparse. The role of the pregnane glycoside P57-commonly accepted to be responsible for appetite suppression-has been questioned recently. Furthermore, a variety of physiological side-effects associated with consumption of the plant in extracted form questions its suitability for consumption. Although adverse effects have been described before, the relative abundance of non-peer-reviewed data originating from patent documents and lay publication for advertising, which specifically only focus on beneficial outcomes, skews the view of the risk-benefit-balance. Here we provide a review of peer-reviewed studies on the plant׳s physiological effects. Novel data from an in vivo rodent study further elucidate the benefit-to-risk ratio associated with consumption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  we conclude that although Hoodia gordonii seems to have a desired effect on appetite and weight loss, this effect may at least in part be a secondary symptom of the serious adverse effects that are associated with consumption of the high doses required to achieve therapeutic clinical effect.
authors: Department Physiological Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa. Electronic address: csmith@sun.ac.za.
authors: Carine
authors: C
authors: Smith
authors: Department Physiological Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa.
authors: Annadie
authors: A
authors: Krygsman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029062:Apocynaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001067:Appetite Depressants; C471266:P57 compound; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Appetite; Gastric emptying; Sympathomimetic; Ventricular hypertrophy; Weight loss