Hoodia gordonii
Encyclopedia
Hoodia gordonii is a leafless spiny succulent plant
with medicinal uses. It grows naturally in South Africa
and Namibia
. The flowers smell like rotten meat and are pollinated mainly by flies. The indigenous Bushmen
call this plant ǁhoba .
Hoodia gordonii was discovered and painted by col. Robert Jacob Gordon
in the vicinity of the Orange River
in about 1779, and identified as a Stapelia
, a closely related genus.
s. However, it is their centuries old use of the meat of the plant to suppress appetite when making long hunting trips in the Kalahari Desert
that has stimulated the most interest.
In 1977, the South Africa
n Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR) isolated the ingredient in hoodia—now known as P57—which is responsible for its appetite-suppressant effect, and patent
ed it in 1996. The CSIR then granted United Kingdom
-based Phytopharm
a license, and they collaborated with the pharmaceutical company Pfizer
to isolate active ingredients from the extracts and look into synthesizing them for use as an appetite suppressant
. Pfizer released the rights to the primary ingredient in 2002. Paul Hutson, associate professor in the University of Wisconsin–Madison
School of Pharmacy, told the Wisconsin State Journal
, "For Pfizer to release something dealing with obesity suggests to me that they felt there was no merit to its oral use". Pfizer states that development on P57, the active ingredient of hoodia, was stopped due to the difficulty of synthesizing P57. Jasjit Bindra, lead researcher for hoodia at Pfizer, states there were indications of unwanted effects on the liver
caused by other components, which could not be easily removed from the supplement, adding "Clearly, hoodia has a long way to go before it can earn approval from the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). Until safer formulations are developed, dieters should be wary of using it."
In 2002, CSIR officially recognized the San
tribespeople’s rights over hoodia, allowing them to take a percentage of the profits and any spin-offs resulting from the marketing of hoodia. Hoodia gordonii is a protected plant which may only be wild-harvested by individuals and the few companies who have been granted a license.
experimentation it was found that P57AS3 was generally not inhibited metabolically by human liver enzymes and has a relatively high secretion rate.
Given standardization techniques and the likely passage of the active ingredient into the blood stream and relatively stable metabolism by the liver, one can estimate the oral dosage required to achieve the amount of active ingredient which will likely to be passed to the brain where it is thought the ATP
availability in the hypothalamus
regulates appetite.
Other medical weight loss experts remain skeptical. Adrienne Youdim, MD, medical director of the Comprehensive Weight Loss Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
and Michael Steelman, MD, chairman of the board of trustees for the American Society of Bariatric Physicians says "There is no [published scientific] data to support its use." In addition, the FTC recommends against the use of such diet products marketed with exaggerated claims.
production is inhibited by P57, the active molecule found in Hoodia gordonii,. The study found that standardized extract P57SD at 50 mg/kg reduced gastric acid output in the stomach by 40-60%. The experiments were in vivo
with control populations of rats, as well as in vitro
.
In the USA, the Fish and Wildlife Service
(FWS), United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and United States Customs and Border Protection (part of the Department of Homeland Security
) regulate the importation and re-exportation of species such as Hoodia gordonii. Current U.S. laws stipulate that not only must a CITES certificate accompany shipments of Hoodia gordonii but that the importers must possess a permit issued by the USDA to import Terrestrial Plants. a CITES re-export certificate is needed to re-export H. gordonii.
In addition to looking for a copy of a CITES and USDA permit from a manufacturer of "Hoodia" products a consumer should also look for a report from an independent testing lab which has conducted scientific analysis on the product in question, testifying that they have been able to authenticate the presence of Hoodia gordonii.
The primary testing methods for authenticating Hoodia gordonii are:
As of 2007 there are four independent labs which are conducting tests to verify Hoodia gordonii in consumer products. They are: Advanced Laboratories, Inc. in Smithfield, North Carolina
, Alkemist Pharmaceuticals, Chromadex Labs of Irvine, California
, and the University of Mississippi
. The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) completed work in 2009 establishing the defacto industry standard for Hoodia authentication in response to scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission
of the hoodia industry and complaints by consumers of fraud
ulent hoodia products being marketed.
reported on the Hoodia gordonii plant in 2003. On November 21, 2004, 60 Minutes
aired a report on the effectiveness of the Hoodia gordonii plant as a natural appetite suppressant.
Prior to this 60 Minutes report, there were a total of three hoodia products on the U.S. market and Hoodia gordonii was being sold by African farmers at US$
13 per kilogram. In 2007, there were an estimated 300 products being sold worldwide being touted as "authentic Hoodia gordonii" with a street rate for Hoodia gordonii at $250 per kilogram on average. As of Nov 2008, the street price of Hoodia gordonii has dropped to $130/kg for wildcrafted Hoodia gordoni and an estimated $85 for cultivated Hoodia gordoni material.
The media coverage and heavy marketing
by nutritional supplement companies that followed those reports have created such a demand for Hoodia spp. plants that a protected status was imposed in several countries like Namibia
. Many products claiming to contain Hoodia spp. do not actually contain the active ingredient alleged to suppress appetite. An ongoing review of hoodia pills by Alkemists Pharmaceuticals found that at least half of the products advertised as containing hoodia contained none.
In March 2006, Consumer Reports
investigated the dietary supplement
and concluded, "This weight loss drug lacks the clinical evidence for the Consumer Reports experts to recommend this product."
or regulatory approval have not stopped dietary supplement companies from marketing Hoodia gordonii supplements with claims that it can lower blood pressure
and reduce the appetite. Goen Technologies Corporation's TrimSpa
unit began marketing Hoodia gordonii under the brand name X32 with celebrity spokesperson Anna Nicole Smith
, even though the FDA has notified Trimspa in a Warning Letter
that it has not demonstrated that claims for their product are scientifically supportable. Health Canada
has not approved any hoodia products for sale. However, they are sold in natural health stores. Goen Technologies has also been sued by the state of New Jersey
for misleading consumers. The Trimspa brand is currently the subject of a lawsuit in California
which claims that it does not contain any of Hoodia's active ingredient.
In December 2004, Unilever
entered into an agreement with Phytopharm
to start marketing Hoodia gordonii commercially in the form of shakes
and diet bars although as of April 2007 no products have yet surfaced on the consumer market from that venture.
Between March and June 2006, millions of E-mail spam
and forum messages were sent out concerning hoodia, ostensibly offering hoodia extracts for weight control purposes. The Federal Trade Commission has logged numerous complaints of consumer fraud associated with hoodia and the number is expected to continue to rise.
On July 1, 2006, it was reported on entertainment news show Extra
that a company is now marketing hoodia-enhanced lollipop
s called PowerPops.
Nov 14, 2008 Unilever pulled out of deal with Phytopharm to continue commercial development of Hoodia. A document on Unilever's website entitled "Sustainable Development 2008: An Overview," and signed by Paul Polman, CEO, contains the following statement: "Innovation also carries uncertainties and does not always lead to a positive outcome. During 2008, having invested 20 million [pounds] in R&D, Unilever abandoned plans to use the slimming extract hoodia in a range of diet products. We stopped the project because our clinical studies revealed that products using hoodia would not meet our strict standards of safety and efficacy." Page 12.
Hoodia gordonii products are currently being marketed in a variety of formats to include: capsules, tablets, liquid tinctures, tea, coffee, syrups, protein shakes and even diet fruit bars.
In October 2009, Santa Cruz County District Attorney Bob Lee joined colleagues from several other counties in a lawsuit against three companies who allegedly make false claims that their diet supplements contain extract from the African hoodia plant. The lawsuit filed in Solano County, states that Dex L-10 by Delmar Labs, Breakthrough Engineered Nutrition and Geopharma produce products with packaging and advertising that claim to contain Hoodia Gordonii when they contain little or none of it.
Succulent plant
Succulent plants, also known as succulents or fat plants, are water-retaining plants adapted to arid climates or soil conditions. Succulent plants store water in their leaves, stems, and also in roots...
with medicinal uses. It grows naturally in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
. The flowers smell like rotten meat and are pollinated mainly by flies. The indigenous Bushmen
Bushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
call this plant ǁhoba .
Hoodia gordonii was discovered and painted by col. Robert Jacob Gordon
Robert Jacob Gordon
Robert Jacob Gordon , was a Dutch explorer, soldier, artist, naturalist and linguist of Scottish descent.-Life:...
in the vicinity of the Orange River
Orange River
The Orange River , Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean...
in about 1779, and identified as a Stapelia
Stapelia
The genus Stapelia consists of around 40 species of low growing, spineless, stem succulent plants, predominantly from South Africa. The flowers of certain species, most notably Stapelia gigantea, can reach 41 cm in diameter when fully open...
, a closely related genus.
Medicinal uses
The use of Hoodia spp. has long been known by the indigenous populations of Southern Africa, who infrequently use these plants for treating indigestion and small infectionInfection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
s. However, it is their centuries old use of the meat of the plant to suppress appetite when making long hunting trips in the Kalahari Desert
Kalahari Desert
The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid sandy savannah in Southern Africa extending , covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa, as semi-desert, with huge tracts of excellent grazing after good rains. The Kalahari supports more animals and plants than a true desert...
that has stimulated the most interest.
In 1977, the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research is South Africa's central and premier scientific research and development organisation. It was established by an act of parliament in 1945 and is situated on its own campus in the city of Pretoria...
(CSIR) isolated the ingredient in hoodia—now known as P57—which is responsible for its appetite-suppressant effect, and patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed it in 1996. The CSIR then granted United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based Phytopharm
Phytopharm
Phytopharm is a pharmaceutical company based in the United Kingdom. According to the company's website, Phytopharm's lead products are Cogane and Myogane, which are members of the sapogenin class of compounds. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling...
a license, and they collaborated with the pharmaceutical company Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
to isolate active ingredients from the extracts and look into synthesizing them for use as an appetite suppressant
Anorectic
An anorectic or anorexic , also known as anorexigenic or appetite suppressant, is a dietary supplement and/or drug which reduces appetite, food consumption, and as a result, causes weight loss to occur.-List of anorectics:Numerous pharmaceutical compounds are marketed as appetite suppressants.The...
. Pfizer released the rights to the primary ingredient in 2002. Paul Hutson, associate professor in the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
School of Pharmacy, told the Wisconsin State Journal
Wisconsin State Journal
The Wisconsin State Journal is a daily newspaper published in Madison, Wisconsin by Lee Enterprises. The newspaper, the second largest in Wisconsin, is primarily distributed in a 19 county region in south-central Wisconsin...
, "For Pfizer to release something dealing with obesity suggests to me that they felt there was no merit to its oral use". Pfizer states that development on P57, the active ingredient of hoodia, was stopped due to the difficulty of synthesizing P57. Jasjit Bindra, lead researcher for hoodia at Pfizer, states there were indications of unwanted effects on the liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
caused by other components, which could not be easily removed from the supplement, adding "Clearly, hoodia has a long way to go before it can earn approval from the Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
(FDA). Until safer formulations are developed, dieters should be wary of using it."
In 2002, CSIR officially recognized the San
Bushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
tribespeople’s rights over hoodia, allowing them to take a percentage of the profits and any spin-offs resulting from the marketing of hoodia. Hoodia gordonii is a protected plant which may only be wild-harvested by individuals and the few companies who have been granted a license.
Appetite Suppression
There is no published scientific evidence that hoodia works as an appetite suppressant in humans. Animal research on hoodia includes one published scientific study in which a purified extract of Hoodia gordonii, known as P57, was injected directly into the brains of rats. The author of the rat study said that P57 was easily broken down by the liver, so it might be hard to take in enough of it to ensure that it had an effect. MacLean cautioned that currently available supplements might be inadequate, stating "I question whether there is really enough of the active ingredient in there to do much." However, upon further review and in vitroIn vitro
In vitro refers to studies in experimental biology that are conducted using components of an organism that have been isolated from their usual biological context in order to permit a more detailed or more convenient analysis than can be done with whole organisms. Colloquially, these experiments...
experimentation it was found that P57AS3 was generally not inhibited metabolically by human liver enzymes and has a relatively high secretion rate.
Given standardization techniques and the likely passage of the active ingredient into the blood stream and relatively stable metabolism by the liver, one can estimate the oral dosage required to achieve the amount of active ingredient which will likely to be passed to the brain where it is thought the ATP
Adenosine triphosphate
Adenosine-5'-triphosphate is a multifunctional nucleoside triphosphate used in cells as a coenzyme. It is often called the "molecular unit of currency" of intracellular energy transfer. ATP transports chemical energy within cells for metabolism...
availability in the hypothalamus
Hypothalamus
The Hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions...
regulates appetite.
Other medical weight loss experts remain skeptical. Adrienne Youdim, MD, medical director of the Comprehensive Weight Loss Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
and Michael Steelman, MD, chairman of the board of trustees for the American Society of Bariatric Physicians says "There is no [published scientific] data to support its use." In addition, the FTC recommends against the use of such diet products marketed with exaggerated claims.
Gastric Acid Reduction
Gastric acidGastric acid
Gastric acid is a digestive fluid, formed in the stomach. It has a pH of 1 to 2 and is composed of hydrochloric acid , and large quantities of potassium chloride and sodium chloride...
production is inhibited by P57, the active molecule found in Hoodia gordonii,. The study found that standardized extract P57SD at 50 mg/kg reduced gastric acid output in the stomach by 40-60%. The experiments were in vivo
In vivo
In vivo is experimentation using a whole, living organism as opposed to a partial or dead organism, or an in vitro controlled environment. Animal testing and clinical trials are two forms of in vivo research...
with control populations of rats, as well as in vitro
In vitro
In vitro refers to studies in experimental biology that are conducted using components of an organism that have been isolated from their usual biological context in order to permit a more detailed or more convenient analysis than can be done with whole organisms. Colloquially, these experiments...
.
Authentication
As Hoodia gordonii and the whole genus Hoodia are threatened with extinction if international trade is not monitored, the genus is listed under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), under Appendix II, and it is illegal to export plant material in any form from Africa without a CITES certificate being issued by proper authorities.In the USA, the Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
(FWS), United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
(USDA) and United States Customs and Border Protection (part of the Department of Homeland Security
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
) regulate the importation and re-exportation of species such as Hoodia gordonii. Current U.S. laws stipulate that not only must a CITES certificate accompany shipments of Hoodia gordonii but that the importers must possess a permit issued by the USDA to import Terrestrial Plants. a CITES re-export certificate is needed to re-export H. gordonii.
In addition to looking for a copy of a CITES and USDA permit from a manufacturer of "Hoodia" products a consumer should also look for a report from an independent testing lab which has conducted scientific analysis on the product in question, testifying that they have been able to authenticate the presence of Hoodia gordonii.
The primary testing methods for authenticating Hoodia gordonii are:
- HPTLCHPTLCHigh performance thin layer chromatography is an enhanced form of thin layer chromatography . A number of enhancements can be made to the basic method of thin layer chromatography to automate the different steps, to increase the resolution achieved and to allow more accurate quantitative...
- HPLCHigh-performance liquid chromatographyHigh-performance liquid chromatography , HPLC, is a chromatographic technique that can separate a mixture of compounds and is used in biochemistry and analytical chemistry to identify, quantify and purify the individual components of the mixture.HPLC typically utilizes different types of stationary...
- MicroscopyMicroscopyMicroscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view samples and objects that cannot be seen with the unaided eye...
/DPIDual Polarisation InterferometryDual polarization interferometry is an analytical technique that can probe molecular scale layers adsorbed to the surface of a waveguide by using the evanescent wave of a laser beam confined to the waveguide... - direct assay of the active component, "P57"
As of 2007 there are four independent labs which are conducting tests to verify Hoodia gordonii in consumer products. They are: Advanced Laboratories, Inc. in Smithfield, North Carolina
Smithfield, North Carolina
Smithfield is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. In 2008, the estimated population was 12,965. It is the county seat of Johnston County...
, Alkemist Pharmaceuticals, Chromadex Labs of Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
, and the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
. The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) completed work in 2009 establishing the defacto industry standard for Hoodia authentication in response to scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
of the hoodia industry and complaints by consumers of fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
ulent hoodia products being marketed.
Media coverage
The BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
reported on the Hoodia gordonii plant in 2003. On November 21, 2004, 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
aired a report on the effectiveness of the Hoodia gordonii plant as a natural appetite suppressant.
Prior to this 60 Minutes report, there were a total of three hoodia products on the U.S. market and Hoodia gordonii was being sold by African farmers at US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
13 per kilogram. In 2007, there were an estimated 300 products being sold worldwide being touted as "authentic Hoodia gordonii" with a street rate for Hoodia gordonii at $250 per kilogram on average. As of Nov 2008, the street price of Hoodia gordonii has dropped to $130/kg for wildcrafted Hoodia gordoni and an estimated $85 for cultivated Hoodia gordoni material.
The media coverage and heavy marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
by nutritional supplement companies that followed those reports have created such a demand for Hoodia spp. plants that a protected status was imposed in several countries like Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
. Many products claiming to contain Hoodia spp. do not actually contain the active ingredient alleged to suppress appetite. An ongoing review of hoodia pills by Alkemists Pharmaceuticals found that at least half of the products advertised as containing hoodia contained none.
In March 2006, Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports is an American magazine published monthly by Consumers Union since 1936. It publishes reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from its in-house testing laboratory. It also publishes cleaning and general buying guides...
investigated the dietary supplement
Dietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
and concluded, "This weight loss drug lacks the clinical evidence for the Consumer Reports experts to recommend this product."
Marketing and spam
Lack of scientific evidenceScientific evidence
Scientific evidence has no universally accepted definition but generally refers to evidence which serves to either support or counter a scientific theory or hypothesis. Such evidence is generally expected to be empirical and properly documented in accordance with scientific method such as is...
or regulatory approval have not stopped dietary supplement companies from marketing Hoodia gordonii supplements with claims that it can lower blood pressure
Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...
and reduce the appetite. Goen Technologies Corporation's TrimSpa
TrimSpa
TrimSpa is a dietary supplement designed for weight loss, marketed by the company Goen Technologies, headed by Alexander Szynalski, a.k.a. Alex Goen. Celebrity Anna Nicole Smith was its spokesperson. Various products marketed by TrimSpa are claimed to help "stave off hunger". TrimSpa formerly...
unit began marketing Hoodia gordonii under the brand name X32 with celebrity spokesperson Anna Nicole Smith
Anna Nicole Smith
In 1992 Smith was chosen by Hugh Hefner to appear on the cover of the March issue of Playboy, where she was listed as Vickie Smith, wearing a low-cut evening gown. The centerfold was photographed by Stephen Wayda. Smith said she planned to be "the next Marilyn Monroe". Becoming one of Playboys...
, even though the FDA has notified Trimspa in a Warning Letter
FDA Warning Letter
The United States Food and Drug Adminstration defines a Warning Letter as "...a correspondence that notifies regulated industry about violations that FDA has documented during its inspections or investigations...
that it has not demonstrated that claims for their product are scientifically supportable. Health Canada
Health Canada
Health Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for national public health.The current Minister of Health is Leona Aglukkaq, a Conservative Member of Parliament appointed to the position by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.-Branches, regions and agencies:Health Canada...
has not approved any hoodia products for sale. However, they are sold in natural health stores. Goen Technologies has also been sued by the state of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
for misleading consumers. The Trimspa brand is currently the subject of a lawsuit in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
which claims that it does not contain any of Hoodia's active ingredient.
In December 2004, Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
entered into an agreement with Phytopharm
Phytopharm
Phytopharm is a pharmaceutical company based in the United Kingdom. According to the company's website, Phytopharm's lead products are Cogane and Myogane, which are members of the sapogenin class of compounds. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling...
to start marketing Hoodia gordonii commercially in the form of shakes
Milkshake
A milkshake is a sweet, cold beverage which is made from milk, ice cream or iced milk, and flavorings or sweeteners such as fruit syrup or chocolate sauce....
and diet bars although as of April 2007 no products have yet surfaced on the consumer market from that venture.
Between March and June 2006, millions of E-mail spam
E-mail spam
Email spam, also known as junk email or unsolicited bulk email , is a subset of spam that involves nearly identical messages sent to numerous recipients by email. Definitions of spam usually include the aspects that email is unsolicited and sent in bulk. One subset of UBE is UCE...
and forum messages were sent out concerning hoodia, ostensibly offering hoodia extracts for weight control purposes. The Federal Trade Commission has logged numerous complaints of consumer fraud associated with hoodia and the number is expected to continue to rise.
On July 1, 2006, it was reported on entertainment news show Extra
Extra (TV series)
Extra is an American entertainment television news program covering events and celebrities which debuted on September 5, 1994 in syndication. It is produced at Victory Studios in Glendale, California by Telepictures Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution...
that a company is now marketing hoodia-enhanced lollipop
Lollipop
A lollipop, pop, lolly, sucker, or sticky-pop is a type of confectionery consisting mainly of hardened, flavored sucrose with corn syrup mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. They are available in many flavors and shapes.- Types :Lollipops are available in a number of colors and...
s called PowerPops.
Nov 14, 2008 Unilever pulled out of deal with Phytopharm to continue commercial development of Hoodia. A document on Unilever's website entitled "Sustainable Development 2008: An Overview," and signed by Paul Polman, CEO, contains the following statement: "Innovation also carries uncertainties and does not always lead to a positive outcome. During 2008, having invested 20 million [pounds] in R&D, Unilever abandoned plans to use the slimming extract hoodia in a range of diet products. We stopped the project because our clinical studies revealed that products using hoodia would not meet our strict standards of safety and efficacy." Page 12.
Hoodia gordonii products are currently being marketed in a variety of formats to include: capsules, tablets, liquid tinctures, tea, coffee, syrups, protein shakes and even diet fruit bars.
In October 2009, Santa Cruz County District Attorney Bob Lee joined colleagues from several other counties in a lawsuit against three companies who allegedly make false claims that their diet supplements contain extract from the African hoodia plant. The lawsuit filed in Solano County, states that Dex L-10 by Delmar Labs, Breakthrough Engineered Nutrition and Geopharma produce products with packaging and advertising that claim to contain Hoodia Gordonii when they contain little or none of it.