Mesembryanthemum tortuosum

{{Speciesbox

| name = Kanna

| image = Sceletium tortuosum 01102003 Afrique du sud 2.JPG

| image_caption =

| taxon = Mesembryanthemum tortuosum

| authority = L.

| synonyms =

{{Species list

|Mesembryanthemum aridum|Moench

|Mesembryanthemum concavum|Haw.

|Phyllobolus tortuosus|(L.) Bittrich

|Sceletium boreale|L.Bolus

|Sceletium compactum|L.Bolus

|Sceletium concavum|(Haw.) Schwantes

|Sceletium framesii|L.Bolus

|Sceletium gracile|L.Bolus

|Sceletium joubertii|L.Bolus

|Sceletium namaquense|L.Bolus

|Sceletium ovatum|L.Bolus

|Sceletium tortuosum|(L.) N.E.Br.

|Sceletium tugwelliae|L.Bolus

}}

|synonyms_ref = {{cite web |title=Mesembryanthemum tortuosum L.. |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:363552-1 |access-date=2023-01-27 }}

}}

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{{cite journal |author1=Smith, M. T. |author2=Field C. R. |author3=Crouch N. R. |author4=Hirst, M. | title = The Distribution of Mesembrine Alkaloids in Selected Taxa of the Mesembryanthemaceae and their Modification in the Sceletium Derived 'Kougoed' | journal = Pharmaceutical Biology | year = 1998 | volume = 36 | issue = 3 | pages = 173–179 | doi = 10.1076/phbi.36.3.173.6350 | url = http://www.afrigetics.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Journal-Of-Pharmaceutical-Biology.pdf | doi-access = free }})—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.{{ cite journal | author1 = Harvey, A. L. | author2 = Young, L. C. | author3 = Viljoen, A. M. | author4 = Gericke, N. P. | title = Pharmacological Actions of the South African Medicinal and Functional Food Plant Sceletium tortuosum and its Principal Alkaloids | journal = Journal of Ethnopharmacology | year = 2011 | volume = 137 | issue = 3 | pages = 1124–1129 | pmid = 21798331 | doi = 10.1016/j.jep.2011.07.035 | url = http://mypeacebeverage.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/2011-Harvey-et-al-JEP-Pharmacology.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150630183055/http://mypeacebeverage.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/2011-Harvey-et-al-JEP-Pharmacology.pdf | archive-date = 2015-06-30 }}

It has been used by South African pastoralists and hunter-gatherers for thousands of years. The first written account of its use dates to 1662, recorded by Jan van Riebeeck. The dried plant was chewed with the saliva swallowed, but it has also been prepared in various forms, including gel caps, teas, tinctures, snuff, and smoked. In traditional medicine, it is primarily used to alleviate stress, depression, pain, and hunger.

M. tortuosum contains around 1–1.5% total alkaloids, with mesembrine being one of its major alkaloids. The plant can be grown from seeds or propagated from cuttings, with cultivation practices similar to those of cacti like Echinopsis. It thrives in temperatures above {{cvt|16|C}} and does not tolerate frost. It is found in 50 subpopulations across the Cape provinces of South Africa and is classified as least concern in the Red List of South African Plants, although it is facing population decline due to harvesting for uses in traditional medicine.

History

The plant has been used by South African pastoralists and hunter-gatherers as a mood-altering substance from prehistoric times.{{ cite journal | last1 = Gericke | first1 = N. | last2 = Viljoen | first2 = A. M. | title = Sceletium–A Review Update | journal = Journal of Ethnopharmacology | year = 2008 | volume = 119 | issue = 3 | pages = 653–663 | doi = 10.1016/j.jep.2008.07.043 | pmid = 18761074 | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23227379 }} 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.{{Cite journal |last1=Manganyi |first1=Madira Coutlyne |last2=Bezuidenhout |first2=Cornelius Carlos |last3=Regnier |first3=Thierry |last4=Ateba |first4=Collins Njie |date=2021-04-28 |title=A Chewable Cure "Kanna": Biological and Pharmaceutical Properties of Sceletium tortuosum |journal=Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) |volume=26 |issue=9 |pages=2557 |doi=10.3390/molecules26092557 |issn=1420-3049 |pmc=8124331 |pmid=33924742|doi-access=free }} It has also been used as a snuff and smoked.{{cite journal |author1=Smith, M. T. |author2=Crouch, N. R. |author3=Gericke, N. |author4=Hirst, M. | title = Psychoactive Constituents of the Genus Sceletium N.E.Br. and other Mesembryanthemaceae: A Review | journal = Journal of Ethnopharmacology | year = 1996 | volume = 50 | issue = 3 | pages = 119–130 | doi = 10.1016/0378-8741(95)01342-3 | pmid = 8691846 | url = http://www.sceletium.org/sceletium-review-article.html }}

Uses

M. tortuosum is in traditional medicine to reduce stress and depression, relieve pain and alleviate hunger.{{dubious source|date=December 2024}}

It has been studied to alleviate excessive nocturnal barking in dogs, or meowing in cats.

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.{{Cite web |date=2016-11-14 |title=CULTIVATION: How To Grow Healthy Kanna Plants |url=https://www.kanna-sceletium-tortuosum.com/cultivation/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Kanna Sceletium Tortuosum |language=en-US}}

Pharmacology

M. tortuosum contains about 1–1.5% total alkaloids. 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.

File:Mesembrine.svg]]

File:Mesembrenone2DACS.svg]]

File:Mesembrenol2DACS.svg]]

File:Tortuosamine2DACS.svg]]

=Mesembrine=

Mesembrine is a major alkaloid present in M. tortuosum.{{Cite journal |last1=Coetzee |first1=Dirk D. |last2=López |first2=Víctor |last3=Smith |first3=Carine |date=2016-01-11 |title=High-mesembrine Sceletium extract (Trimesemine™) is a monoamine releasing agent, rather than only a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874115302348 |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |language=en |volume=177 |pages=111–116 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2015.11.034 |pmid=26615766 |issn=0378-8741}} There is about 0.3% mesembrine in the roots and 0.86% in the leaves, stems, and flowers of the plant.

Oxalates

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

Distribution and habitat

M. tortuosum is found in 50 subpopulations in the Cape provinces from Namaqualand to Montagu and Aberdeen; in karroid habitat.{{Cite web |title=Threatened Species Programme {{!}} SANBI Red List of South African Plants |url=http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=148-1325 |access-date=2024-10-10}}

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.

Gallery

File:Kanna flower.jpg|Flower

File:Sceletium tortuosum commercial sale.JPG|Being sold commercially in Cape Town, South Africa. It is ground into a brown powder and ingested orally.

File:3D anaglyph of sceletium tortuosum.jpg|Seedling

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927034409/http://www.plantzafrica.com/medmonographs/scelettort.pdf Monograph on Sceletium tortuosum]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D3EAVdGx2w The past, present and possible future of kanna] Video. Talk of Nigel Gericke at Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs. 2017.