Kanna
Sceletium tortuosumAizoaceae // aerial parts
Also known as: kanna, kougoed
Preparation
Overview
Plant parts
aerial parts
Known constituents
mesembrine, mesembrenone, mesembrenol
Research corpus coverage
Chemistry notes
- Principal reported constituents include mesembrine, mesembrenone, mesembrenol; broad class: serotonin reuptake inhibition; PDE4 effects proposed.
Uses & Evidence
Traditional / historical use
Documented traditional use — not a claim of established efficacy.
No traditional-use records in this corpus.
Modern evidence
Several Sceletium species and commercial extracts are conflated.
MODERATE · A Chewable Cure “Kanna”: Biological and Pharmaceutical Properties of Sceletium tortuosum
Identity/attribution caution.
Safety
Human
- Caution
Safety severity is MODERATE: nausea, headache and CNS effects; limited long-term data
Intrinsic toxicity · MODERATE · A Chewable Cure “Kanna”: Biological and Pharmaceutical Properties of Sceletium tortuosum
Additional safety notes (general, unstructured)
Free-text safety notes carried from their source — not broken out by species, route, or hazard type, and not equivalent to the structured records above. Each note names the kind of source it came from.
Safety severity is MODERATE: nausea, headache and CNS effects; limited long-term data
MODERATE · A Chewable Cure “Kanna”: Biological and Pharmaceutical Properties of Sceletium tortuosum
Preparation × species risk matrix
Unknown means insufficient evidence was located — not that a form is safe.
Cats
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Dogs
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Identity
- Synonym
GBIF lists Mesembryanthemum aridum Moench as a taxonomic synonym of Mesembryanthemum tortuosum.
HIGH · GBIF Species Synonyms API
Common name
kanna, kougoed
Traditions
Khoekhoe and San historical traditions; modern South African products
southern Africa // colonial-era reports and living/revitalized use // historical and living/revitalized tradition
Ethnobotanical
Kanna is documented in Khoekhoe and San historical traditions; modern South African products in southern Africa for social, mood-modifying, thirst/hunger management and healing contexts.
HIGH · A Chewable Cure “Kanna”: Biological and Pharmaceutical Properties of Sceletium tortuosum
Ritual
Documented functions include social, healing, ritual; these functions are tradition-specific and should not be generalized across cultures.
HIGH · A Chewable Cure “Kanna”: Biological and Pharmaceutical Properties of Sceletium tortuosum
Legal
Legal status changes over time and by jurisdiction — this is a dated snapshot, not current law.
International · Checked 2026-08-09
Varies substantially by country; constituent controls and plant-specific controls are not uniform.
State / municipal · Checked 2026-08-09
Material state and municipal variation may apply; verify jurisdiction at time of use.
US Federal · Checked 2026-08-09
Not federally scheduled; commercial products subject to food/supplement/drug law.
Sources
Research records are source-linked but may not yet be editorially reviewed.
peer-reviewed article
government/regulatory source
- GBIF Species Synonyms API1 claim
authoritative taxonomic database