In the media, kanna has been described as a natural and legal alternative to party drugs such as MDMA. There are even plant medicine retreats that incorporate kanna into supposedly life-changing ceremonies. JC Ways, a 26-year-old sex educator from Manchester, England, sniffed Kanna at a posh store in Amsterdam. “I felt quite smiling and euphoric,” he recalls. “I had a lot of energy, but I just wanted to relax and unwind.” Using kanna can be dangerous if you mix it with other substances, especially MDMA, SSRI antidepressants, MAO inhibitors or 5HTP, Giordano said. This puts you at risk of serotonin syndrome, an excess of serotonin in your brain that can lead to overheating, rapid heartbeat, tremors, and in extreme cases, death. Caution should be exercised with kanna, as it is an inhibitor of serotonin reuptake. As a result, it should not be used with other serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Too much serotonin in the nervous system can cause a condition called serotonin syndrome.

In extreme cases, a person suffering from serotonin syndrome can fall into a coma. The symptoms of serotonin syndrome vary from person to person, ranging from mild to life-threatening. As a bonus, Cole adds, kanna makes a great houseplant thanks to its juicy and juicy appearance — whether you harvest it or not. While he hasn`t started selling yet, Cole doesn`t seem to rule it out as a possibility in the near future. “Its growth is a small investment,” he says. “The demand for kanna will only increase. It`s going to take off like CBD. Sceletium tortuosum in all its forms (as dried plant material, extracted and tincture) is legal in all countries when sold as a herbal preparation.

It is sold openly in many herb stores and stores. Many countries have regulations to make claims about herbal medicine (FDA in the US, TGA is Australia), so like many other beneficial herbs, it is sold as a purely herbal product, based on its traditional use. Neither Cole nor Sam shared how much they take, but an expert told VICE that those taking kanna will experience a mild effect with a dose of five to 10 milligrams or an “intoxicating” effect with a dose of 25 to 50 milligrams. The South African Bushmen (San) use the same name for Sceletium tortuosum as for the eland antelope (Taurotragus oryx): kanna. The (Khoikhoi) also use the name kanna for the magic eland antelope [7]. The Bushmen have considered the Eland to be the “trance animal” par excellence since prehistoric times and play a central role as a magical ally in ceremonies, closely associated with rain and divination, healing, and communal trance dances [18]. Kanna is also used as part of rituals. The San and (Khoikhoi) walked long distances and chewed fermented kanna to relieve thirst and discomfort. The first report on kanna comes from Peter Floris, who mentions the plant in his journey to the East Indies in the globe 1611-1615.

In Floris` report, kanna appears to be similar to Korean ginseng in that it has “an outstanding reputation in China as a tonic.” However, he was unable to procure fresh equipment. Jan van Riebeeck wrote the first known written report on the use of the complex in 1662. Van Riebeeck traded indigenous tribes in southern Africa and exchanged sheep for kanna, which was again identified as a ginseng-like herb. Other species of the genus Sceletium are S. anatomicum, S. expansum, S. joubertii, S. namaquense and S. strictum.

Members of the genus Sceletium are similar and are easily confused with members of Mesembryanthemum. Species that resemble kanna, contain the same active ingredient (mesebrin), have similar effects and are used in the same way are probably called kanna and kougoed. [4] [5] [6] Since it`s legal, kanna has also caught the attention of budding gardeners, some of whom sell their modest crops through sites like eBay and Etsy, or simply share tips and tricks on the r/kanna subreddit. “I grow it for the love of the plant,” says Cole. “A strange succulent that is not addictive, of course, a natural SSRI and a mild pathogen? This plant will seriously oversleep. (Like SSRIs, kanna has shown inhibitory effects on serotonin reuptake, which explains its mood-boosting effects.) Cole has been successfully growing kanna for two years and says that while “it`s hard to germinate and grow seedlings once they have three or four pairs of real leaves, they`re really hardy.” The pseudonym Michael, an agricultural researcher and kanna grower, explains why: “I share the concern of others that cheap and grossly embellished misrepresentations of the plant`s effects end up in local news and end up receiving enough undeserved negative attention to put [kanna] in the crosshairs of politicians and people who like to ban plants. It is really important that the enormous potential of new psychiatric drugs that can be derived from kanna`s natural chemicals is not overshadowed by its moderate recreational use. The alkaloids in kanna are mainly soluble in alcohol. By soaking Sceletium tortuosum powder in food-grade ethanol or 99% isopropyl alcohol, alkaloids from the plant material can penetrate the solution and saturate it with the alkaloids. After some time, the solution is filtered and the powder is well squeezed and discarded. The ethanol or isopropyl must then be completely evaporated from the extract. Any residual alcohol can be toxic and dangerous to consume. Once the solution is completely washed, the result is a tar resin full of alkaloids.

This extract can be mixed with kanna powder or other plant materials. Alternatively, it can be stored as a resin. Another home breeder, 25-year-old Sam (not his real name) from Canada, offers more details on the growing process.