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Key TakeawaysKanna is an indigenous South African plant that’s been used for centuries as an herbal remedy and natural mood booster.Today, some people take kanna for its euphoric and anxiety-reducing properties as an alternative to party drugs.More research is needed to understand the risks of long-term use.

Key Takeaways

Kanna is an indigenous South African plant that’s been used for centuries as an herbal remedy and natural mood booster.Today, some people take kanna for its euphoric and anxiety-reducing properties as an alternative to party drugs.More research is needed to understand the risks of long-term use.

These days, it seems everyone is looking for something to take the edge off. Lately, the trends are leaning toward all-natural options over manufactured drugs.

As an herbal remedy and natural mood booster, kanna, orSceletium tortuosum,is a succulent plant native to South Africa that’s served a healing, social, and spiritual purpose for thousands of years.

Kanna has been gaining a lot of attention recently for being a less-risky alternative for party drugs because it has been reported as having a blissful effect on users, but what’s the verdict?

What is Kanna?

“Historically, kanna forms part of the traditional practices of South Africa’s first people, Khoisan,” says clinical psychologistVincenzo Sinisi, SAPA, HPCSA, founder ofTherapy Route. “The Khoisan populated parts of what is now South Africa even before the African people considered indigenous to the region today did.”

It was typically consumed as a pinch of ground-up fermented plant matter and held under the tongue or chewed before swallowing. Today, extracts, tea, and supplements are available for easier ingestion.

The Western world, and its mental health professionals in particular, are taking an interest in kanna thanks to its calming and mind-clearing properties, which can work wonders for people dealing withanxietyanddepression.

In the brain, kanna naturally bolstersserotoninreuptake and strengthens the mechanisms of attention and memory, effectivelyreducing stress, boosting mood, and promotingcognitive function.

Monika Wassermann, MDI strongly support that this supplement is being used as an alternative to other party drugs. People are likely to experience similar euphoria effects with no adverse effects on their health.

Monika Wassermann, MD

I strongly support that this supplement is being used as an alternative to other party drugs. People are likely to experience similar euphoria effects with no adverse effects on their health.

Being from South Africa himself, Sinisi is familiar with kanna’s benefits through his own use and reports from patients.

“When it works, it works without question,” Sinisi says. “Roughly two hours after consumption, people feel markedly calmer, more content, and happier. The world feels like all is as it should be, and life seems worthwhile.”

However, he notes that research is limited and studies are typically small or animal-based. One small proof-of-concept study suggests kanna supplements enhance cognitive function and even have potential to treat early stages ofAlzheimer’s disease.

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Recreational Uses and Risks

In the media, kanna has been portrayed as an all-natural, legal alternative to party drugs likeMDMA. There are even plant-medicine retreats that incorporate kanna into allegedly life-changing ceremonies.

But Sinisi points out that while kanna does have mood-brightening properties that can leave you feeling less anxious and inhibited, it likely won’t get you high.

General practitionerMonika Wassermann, MD, first came across kanna years ago but more recently experienced the euphoric properties herself. As a substance with less harmful side effects than drugs like MDMA, kanna seems like a smarter choice, she says.

“I strongly support that this supplement is being used as an alternative to other party drugs,” Wassermann says. “People are likely to experience similar euphoria effects with no adverse effects on their health, hence it’s safer.”

Vincenzo Sinisi, SAPA, HPCSA

But for individuals who have a history ofsubstance dependence or abuse, Sinisi advises against trying kanna. While kanna may not beaddictive, it could trigger further drug-seeking behavior. And he doesn’t recommend long-term daily use in any context.

Overdosing on kanna can cause stomach pains, but mixing kanna with other substances is where the real danger lies.

Wassermann warns against taking kanna when also taking MAO inhibitors, MDMA, 5HTP, and/or SSRI antidepressants. The combination canrapidly increase your serotonin levelsand lead to fever, shivering, elevated heart rate, or even death in severe cases.

Of course, more research is needed to truly understand the safety and potential of kanna.

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What This Means For YouKanna is a great all-natural option for coping with symptoms of anxiety or depression. But it’s not considered a long-term solution. Consult with your doctor before incorporating kanna into your treatment plan.

What This Means For You

Kanna is a great all-natural option for coping with symptoms of anxiety or depression. But it’s not considered a long-term solution. Consult with your doctor before incorporating kanna into your treatment plan.

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3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Manganyi MC, Bezuidenhout CC, Regnier T, Ateba CN.A chewable cure “kanna”: Biological and pharmaceutical properties of Sceletium tortuosum.Molecules. 2021;26(9):2557. doi:10.3390/molecules26092557Dimpfel W, Gericke N, Suliman S, Chiegoua Dipah GN.Psychophysiological effects of Zembrin using quantitative EEG source density in combination with eye-tracking in 60 healthy subjects. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 3-armed study with parallel design.Neurosci Med. 2016;7(3):114-132. doi:10.4236/nm.2016.73013Chiu S, Raheb H, Terpstra K, et al.Exploring Zembrin extract derived from South African plant, Sceletium tortuosum in targeting cAMP-driven phosphodiesterase (PDE) signaling in Alzheimer’s disease: Synthesis of evidence.Int J Ment Health Psychiatry. 2015;1(2). doi:10.4172/2471-4372.1000104

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Manganyi MC, Bezuidenhout CC, Regnier T, Ateba CN.A chewable cure “kanna”: Biological and pharmaceutical properties of Sceletium tortuosum.Molecules. 2021;26(9):2557. doi:10.3390/molecules26092557Dimpfel W, Gericke N, Suliman S, Chiegoua Dipah GN.Psychophysiological effects of Zembrin using quantitative EEG source density in combination with eye-tracking in 60 healthy subjects. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 3-armed study with parallel design.Neurosci Med. 2016;7(3):114-132. doi:10.4236/nm.2016.73013Chiu S, Raheb H, Terpstra K, et al.Exploring Zembrin extract derived from South African plant, Sceletium tortuosum in targeting cAMP-driven phosphodiesterase (PDE) signaling in Alzheimer’s disease: Synthesis of evidence.Int J Ment Health Psychiatry. 2015;1(2). doi:10.4172/2471-4372.1000104

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Manganyi MC, Bezuidenhout CC, Regnier T, Ateba CN.A chewable cure “kanna”: Biological and pharmaceutical properties of Sceletium tortuosum.Molecules. 2021;26(9):2557. doi:10.3390/molecules26092557Dimpfel W, Gericke N, Suliman S, Chiegoua Dipah GN.Psychophysiological effects of Zembrin using quantitative EEG source density in combination with eye-tracking in 60 healthy subjects. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 3-armed study with parallel design.Neurosci Med. 2016;7(3):114-132. doi:10.4236/nm.2016.73013Chiu S, Raheb H, Terpstra K, et al.Exploring Zembrin extract derived from South African plant, Sceletium tortuosum in targeting cAMP-driven phosphodiesterase (PDE) signaling in Alzheimer’s disease: Synthesis of evidence.Int J Ment Health Psychiatry. 2015;1(2). doi:10.4172/2471-4372.1000104

Manganyi MC, Bezuidenhout CC, Regnier T, Ateba CN.A chewable cure “kanna”: Biological and pharmaceutical properties of Sceletium tortuosum.Molecules. 2021;26(9):2557. doi:10.3390/molecules26092557

Dimpfel W, Gericke N, Suliman S, Chiegoua Dipah GN.Psychophysiological effects of Zembrin using quantitative EEG source density in combination with eye-tracking in 60 healthy subjects. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 3-armed study with parallel design.Neurosci Med. 2016;7(3):114-132. doi:10.4236/nm.2016.73013

Chiu S, Raheb H, Terpstra K, et al.Exploring Zembrin extract derived from South African plant, Sceletium tortuosum in targeting cAMP-driven phosphodiesterase (PDE) signaling in Alzheimer’s disease: Synthesis of evidence.Int J Ment Health Psychiatry. 2015;1(2). doi:10.4172/2471-4372.1000104

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