Hoodia

Hoodia and weight loss

Hoodia is a weight loss supplement that is new to North America and the weight loss industry. It is another over the counter supplement sold to make the journey to thinness theoretically easier and painless. Hoodia Gordonii was discovered in 1937 by a Dutch anthropologist. He found that African Bushman used the flowering plant to suppress their appetite and thirst, when they were traveling across the desert.

South African scientists, working with Phytopharm, a British pharmaceutical company, isolated the active ingredient – P57 in 1995. Then in 1998 Pfizer spent $21 million to sub-license the patent from Phytopharm. After some initial research Pfizer returned the license. (1) Then, in 2010 Phytopharm also let the patent lease expire. (2)