Sceletium Tortuosum

Scientific Name(s): Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E. Br.
Common Name(s): Channa, Kanna, Kougoed

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Aug 23, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

S. tortuosum has been traditionally used to manage anxiety and depression, as well as to enhance mood, cognitive activity, and memory. However, clinical trials supporting these uses are lacking.

Dosing

Published clinical evidence is lacking to provide safe and effective dosing recommendations. S. tortuosum is available as a tincture, tablet, or capsule (in unit doses of 50 to 200 mg of the dried milled herbal material).

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Information regarding adverse reactions is lacking.

Toxicology

Information regarding toxicity of S. tortuosum in humans is lacking.

Scientific Family

• Aizoaceae
• Mesembryanthemoideae (subfamily)

Botany

S. tortuosum is a perennial decumbent or climbing succulent plant indigenous to South Africa.Gericke 2008, Harvey 2011 It has white to pale yellow or pale pink sessile flowers, usually 20 to 30 mm in diameter and with 4 to 5 sepals. The plant's recurved leaves have distinctive idioblasts, or water cells, and the stems become woody with age.Gerbaulet 2002, Gericke 2008, Smith 1996

History

Dutch explorers first documented the use of S. tortuosum in 1685. Its name is derived from the Latin word "sceletus" (meaning skeleton) because the prominent veins on the dried leaves give the plant a skeletal appearance.Gericke 2008 The common names kanna and kougoed are derived from the Khoi and Afrikaans words, respectively, for "chewed," which refers to the traditional method of S. tortuosum administration. Kanna should not be confused with the ganna plant (Salsola dealata Botsch.).Smith 1996

S. tortuosum has a long history of use in South Africa and is one of the region's most coveted botanical assets. It is traditionally prepared by crushing the plant material, placing it in a bag to ferment, then drying it in the sun.Smith 1996 The dried plant material can be chewed, smoked, or made into powder and used as snuff.Mitchell 2004, Nielsen 2004 The plant material has also been prepared as a tincture or tea, or eaten raw.Smith 1996 S. tortuosum was widely traded and highly valued by the late 18th century, especially in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, and was sometimes used with cannabis, a combination that enhanced the intoxicating effect of cannabis.Mitchell 2004 Several tribes in Africa have traditionally used S. tortuosum to elevate mood, relieve anxiety, regulate sleep, and quench thirst and hunger, as well as for its masticatory, analgesic, narcotic, sedative, antispasmodic, and GI effects. A small amount of S. tortuosum has sometimes been added to a teaspoon of breast milk or mixed with a small amount of sheep tail fat to treat colic in infants. It has also been used for spiritual and social purposes.Gericke 2008, Mannetti 2011, Mitchell 2004, Nielsen 2004, Setshedi 2012, Smith 2011, Stafford 200...