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Kanna, a perennial succulent from the Cape Provinces of South Africa, traditionally chewed or fermented for its mood-altering effects. Grow it like a cactus in bright light, free-draining soil, and keep it frost-free.
Mesembryanthemum tortuosum, often referred to by its synonym Sceletium tortuosum, is a succulent plant in the family Aizoaceae, native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. In English, it is commonly known as kanna (a name derived from the plant's local Khoekhoe name), or alternatively kougoed, an Afrikaans term meaning 'chewable thing', originally referring to a fermented preparation of the plant that was chewed by the Indigenous Khoisan peoples for its medical and psychoactive effects. The plant contains more than 25 alkaloids, with mesembrine-type alkaloids predominating.
It has likely 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 traditionally chewed with the saliva swallowed.
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.
It contains several alkaloids, with mesembrine being the most active and prominent. Although unfermented preparations contain more alkaloids, traditional fermentation enhances psychoactivity by transforming mesembrine into delta-7 mesembrenone, reducing mesembrine content and harmful oxalates. Fermented extracts exhibit greater bioavailability and efficacy, particularly through mucosal absorption, and show synergistic effects among alkaloids in inhibiting CB1 receptors and acetylcholinesterase—activities stronger than those of mesembrine alone. Seasonal and geographic variations affect alkaloid levels. The psychoactive compounds, including mesembrone, mesembrenol, and tortuosamine, were patented in 1997.
M. tortuosum is found in 50 subpopulations in the Cape provinces from Namaqualand to Montagu and Aberdeen; in karroid habitat.
Kanna has been consumed for its mood-altering and medicinal properties by pastoralists and hunter-gatherers since historic times. The earliest recorded use dates back to 1662. It is consumed in various forms—chewed, fermented, made into tinctures, teas, tablets, snuff, or smoked. Traditionally, it serves as a narcotic, sedative, analgesic (relieving mouth pain), and suppresses hunger and thirst during hunting. It has been used to treat toothache, abdominal pain, and digestive issues, especially in pregnant women for constipation, nausea, uterine contractions, and post-birth recovery. An oil made from the plant mixed with sheep's tail is used to relieve colic in babies.
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Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Mesembryanthemum tortuosum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
