Proesence Articles

This article appeared on the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health website. Abstract Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E.Br. (Mesembryanthemaceae), commonly known as kanna or kougoed, is an effective indigenous medicinal plant in South Africa, specifically to the native San and Khoikhoi tribes. Today, the plant has gained strong global attraction and reputation due to its capabilities to promote a sense of well-being by relieving stress with calming effects. Historically, the plant was used by native San hunter-gatherers and Khoi people to quench their thirst, fight fatigue and for healing, social, and spiritual purposes. Various studies have revealed that extracts of the plant have numerous biological properties and isolated alkaloids of Sceletium tortuosum are currently being used as dietary supplements for medicinal purposes and food. Furthermore, current research has focused on the commercialization of the plant because of its treatment in clinical anxiety and depression, psychological and psychiatric disorders, improving mood, promoting relaxation and happiness. In addition, several studies have focused on the isolation and characterization of various beneficial bioactive compounds including alkaloids from the Sceletium tortuosum plant. Sceletium was reviewed more than a decade ago and new evidence has been published since 2008, substantiating [...]

Written by Cort Honey KannaCalm is a brand new supplement based around an alkaloid extract of the Sceletium tortuosum, or Kanna, plant. The plant contains three main psychoactive alkaloids; Mesembrine, Mesembrenone, and delta Mesembrenone. While these alkaloids are psychoactive, they are NOT hallucinogenic. Each of these three alkaloids produce different effects, so different concentrations of these alkaloids in a supplement help relieve different symptoms. Additionally, the dose and method of consumption also cause the effects of Kanna to vary greatly. Kannacalm is designed around producing a calming effect to help relieve anxiety, stress, and tension. To produce these effects, the extract in KannaCalm contains 50% Mesembrine with the other 50% being made up of Mesembrenone and delta Mesembrenone. KannaConnect on the other hand helps promote connectedness and focus with about 70% Mesembrine and 30% Mesembrenone and delta Mesembrenone. What is Kanna? Kanna is a succulent plant belonging to the Sceletium genus that naturally grows in South Africa. It grows through spreading outward on the ground, oftentimes with exposed roots. The leaves are typically green with red tips and it produces flowers with white petals that turn to yellow in the middle of the flower similar in appearance [...]

Like other chronic and seemingly intractable illnesses, the incidence of depression is reaching epidemic levels. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and an estimated 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression. It’s a complex and notoriously difficult to treat condition. It often occurs alongside comorbidities such as anxiety, chronic pain and obesity, but it may also present as an isolated issue with no obvious underlying cause(s). The reduced quality of life caused by depression is difficult for patients to soldier through, and healthcare professionals may feel frustrated that they have limited options to offer patients beyond pharmaceutical drugs that frequently induce side-effects that may be nearly as unpleasant as the depression, itself. Patients and medical professionals alike are seeking natural remedies that are safe and effective for combating depression. Commonly employed compounds include St. John’s wort, 5-HTP, and vitamins B6, B12, and folate. A lesser-known but efficacious compound for boosting mood as well as addressing some of the other issues that may occur along with depression—anxiety, in particular—is sceletium, also known as Kanna, Channa, or Kougoed. This extract is considered a nootropic, and comes [...]