Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) is a small succulent native to South Africa, where San and Khoikhoi peoples have traditionally chewed and prepared it for centuries. Today it's sold as extracts, gummies, drops, capsules, and powders. Many people report a calm, uplifted feeling, though research is still early and experiences vary from person to person.
This guide covers what the plant is, where the knowledge of it comes from, what researchers have and haven't worked out, and how the formats on a modern shelf differ from one another. It's written for curious adults at any level of experience. If you've never tried kanna, the sections on labels and starting gently are the practical ones. If you already have a favorite format, the history and research sections may fill in some background.
You can browse the kanna collection whenever you like. There's no rush, and reading first is a fine way to start.
Table of contents
Table of contents
- What is kanna?
- Traditional use in southern Africa
- What research says so far
- Kanna formats compared: extracts, gummies, drops, and powders
- How to read a kanna label and lab results
- Starting gently with kanna
- Safety and interactions: what's known and what isn't
- FAQs
- Explore at your own pace
What is kanna?
The plant itself
Kanna is a low, creeping succulent in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae. It grows wild in the dry Karoo regions of South Africa's Western, Eastern, and Northern Cape, often in the partial shade of larger shrubs. The leaves are fleshy and pale green. The flowers are white to pale yellow, with thin, threadlike petals that open in sunlight.
In the ground it's an easy plant to walk past. One detail gives it away: as the leaves dry, the soft tissue shrinks back and leaves a visible network of veins, a little like a skeleton. The genus name Sceletium comes from that pattern.
Names you'll see
A kanna label can carry several names, and they don't all mean quite the same thing.
"Kanna" is the name most products use, and it comes from the Khoikhoi languages of the Cape. Older texts spell it "channa" or "canna." "Kougoed" is Afrikaans and translates roughly as "something to chew." Strictly speaking, it refers to the prepared material (kanna that has been fermented and dried) more than to the living plant.
"Sceletium" is the botanical genus, and it's the word research papers and some ingredient panels use. The genus includes several species, so it's worth looking for the full name, Sceletium tortuosum. That's the species most products are made from and the one most studies have examined.
What kanna is not
The name causes some confusion. Kanna has no botanical relationship to cannabis, however similar the words sound. They belong to different plant families and contain different compounds.
Kanna also gets grouped with other botanicals it has little in common with. Kava is a root from the Pacific Islands, traditionally prepared as a drink, and our kava guide covers its history and formats separately. Blue lotus is a water lily long associated with ancient Egypt. The kava and blue lotus collections each come from their own plant and their own tradition, and what applies to one doesn't carry over to the others.
Why people are curious
Most interest in kanna comes down to how people describe it. Many people report feeling calmer, a little brighter in mood, or more at ease in company. Some describe a mild lift in energy, and others describe the opposite, a settling quality toward the end of the day.
Those are reports, and they can't predict your experience. Some people notice very little, and some find kanna simply doesn't agree with them. The format, the amount, the specific product, and your own body all shape what happens. That's why the rest of this guide spends more time on how to choose and how to pay attention than on what you "should" feel.
Traditional use in southern Africa
Kanna was traditionally used by San and Khoikhoi peoples in what is now South Africa. Ethnobotanical accounts describe the plant being harvested, crushed, fermented, and dried into a preparation called kougoed, which was most often chewed. It was reportedly used on long treks, in social settings, and to ease thirst and hunger.
The San and Khoikhoi peoples
You'll often see kanna's history credited to "the Khoisan." That word is an umbrella term, coined by outside scholars, that joins two broad groups. The San are hunter-gatherer peoples of southern Africa. The Khoikhoi (also written Khoekhoe) are herding peoples historically centered on the Cape. Each group includes distinct communities with their own languages and histories. The Nama of Namaqualand, for example, are a Khoikhoi people, and Nama communities still hold knowledge of the plant today.
The umbrella term is convenient, and it flattens a lot. Where a source lets us be specific about whose knowledge is being described, specific is better.
How it was traditionally prepared
The best-documented preparation is kougoed. Accounts describe whole plants being gathered, bruised or crushed, and sealed in a bag to ferment for several days, then spread in the sun to dry. The dried material was chewed, sometimes held in the cheek for a while. Later accounts also mention kanna being smoked, taken as snuff, or steeped as a tea.
Fermentation wasn't incidental. Analytical research suggests that fermenting and drying can shift the balance of alkaloids in the plant, though results differ depending on the method, and researchers are still working out exactly what changes and why. It's one reason a fermented powder and a modern extract shouldn't be assumed to behave alike.
What the written record shows, and its limits
The earliest written descriptions of kanna come from Dutch colonial records at the Cape in the 1600s, including the journal of an expedition to Namaqualand in the 1680s. Travelers and botanists added more over the next two centuries.
Those records are useful, and they're limited. They were written by outsiders (traders, officials, visiting naturalists) who recorded what they saw through their own assumptions and sometimes confused one plant with another. The knowledge itself is Indigenous and far older than anything on paper. When a source says kanna has been used "for centuries," it's telling you how far back the written record goes. People knew the plant long before that.
Respecting the source today
Modern kanna products exist because of that knowledge, and the question of who benefits is a fair one. In the late 2000s, a South African company developing a standardized kanna extract signed a benefit-sharing agreement with the South African San Council. Proceeds are also shared with Nama communities in Namaqualand whose knowledge informed the work. It's often cited as an early example of this kind of agreement for a botanical product. It doesn't cover every kanna product on the market.
Most commercial kanna today is cultivated, which takes pressure off wild populations. If sourcing matters to you, look for where the plant was grown and whether it was cultivated or gathered from the wild. Not every label will say.
What research says so far
The key alkaloids
Mesembrine is the best-known alkaloid in kanna and usually the one researchers measure first. Alkaloids are nitrogen-containing compounds that plants produce, and many are biologically active. Lab research suggests mesembrine interacts with the body's serotonin system, which is the main reason it gets so much scientific attention.
It isn't the only one. Kanna also contains mesembrenone, mesembrenol, and mesembranol, along with smaller amounts of related compounds. The proportions aren't fixed. They change with the plant's genetics, where and how it was grown, when it was harvested, and how it was processed afterward. Two products made from the same weight of kanna can have quite different alkaloid profiles, which matters when you're reading labels.
What early studies have looked at
The research falls into two rough groups.
The first is laboratory work on cells and animals. These studies look at how kanna's alkaloids behave at a chemical level, and they're the source of the serotonin findings. Some of this work also points to activity on an enzyme called PDE4. Lab findings like these explain why researchers are interested. They can't tell you what a product will do in a person.
The second group is a small number of human studies, most of them using a single standardized extract at low daily amounts. Participants were healthy adults, usually a few dozen or fewer, followed for periods lasting weeks to a few months. These studies looked at measures related to mood, stress response, and attention, and some reported modest differences from placebo. Participants generally tolerated the extract over those periods.
That's a real start. It's also a thin base for big statements.
What hasn't been settled
Quite a lot. Long-term use hasn't been studied in any depth. The human studies were small, and some were funded by the manufacturer of the extract being tested, which is common in supplement research and still worth knowing.
There's also the question of how far the findings travel. A result from one standardized extract doesn't automatically apply to a fermented powder, a gummy with other active ingredients, or an extract made by a different process. Individual variation is large too. The same product can land differently for two people, or for the same person on different days.
Reading kanna claims with a clear eye
It helps to sort what you read into three kinds of statement. Traditional use tells you how people have related to a plant over a long time. Reports from current users tell you what many people say they experience. Research tells you what has been measured under controlled conditions, and in kanna's case that's a short list.
All three are worth something, and none can stand in for the others. When a description blurs them together, or promises a specific result, it has gone further than the evidence does. Careful descriptions of kanna tend to use words like "may," "traditionally used for," and "many people report," because that's where the evidence currently sits.
Kanna formats compared: extracts, gummies, drops, and powders
Kanna products are not interchangeable. A serving of extract and a serving of powder may share a plant and very little else, so it's worth knowing what each format is before comparing prices or strengths.
| Format | What it is | How it's typically used | Onset, as commonly described | May suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extract | Concentrated kanna, labeled with a ratio or an alkaloid percentage | Measured in small amounts, following the label | Varies with the product and how it's taken | People comfortable measuring carefully |
| Gummies | A pre-measured edible made with kanna extract and other ingredients | Eaten | Often slower, since it passes through digestion | People who want a fixed serving |
| Drops | Liquid kanna extract with a dropper | Measured by the dropper, following the label | Often described as quicker than edibles | People who want to adjust in small steps |
| Capsules | A measured amount of powder or extract in a capsule | Swallowed | Often slower, like other swallowed formats | People who'd rather skip the taste |
| Powder | Dried or fermented plant material | Traditionally chewed, now often steeped as tea | Varies widely with preparation | People interested in the least processed form |
Kanna extracts
An extract is kanna in concentrated form. Kanna extracts usually describe their strength in one of two ways: a ratio, such as 10:1, or a percentage of total alkaloids. These aren't the same measurement. A ratio tells you how much plant material went into the extract. An alkaloid percentage tells you what came out. The second is more informative, and the best case is a label that gives both.
Because extracts are concentrated, small differences in amount count for more, and strength varies widely from one maker to the next. A serving that suits one extract tells you nothing about another. Kanna Extract Co., for example, makes several different extracts, so compare the numbers on each label instead of assuming they match.
Kanna gummies
Kanna gummies are pre-measured. Each piece contains a stated amount, which removes the measuring step. They pass through digestion like any food, so onset is often described as slower and less predictable than with liquids, and it can change with what else you've eaten.
Read the full ingredient panel. Gummies contain sweeteners and flavorings, and some combine kanna with other active ingredients, which changes what you're actually trying. They also look like ordinary sweets, so keep them in locked storage, out of reach of children and pets.
Kanna drops
Drops are liquid kanna extract in a bottle with a dropper, and you'll find them under kanna tinctures. The appeal is adjustability. You can measure a partial dropper, which makes it easier to begin below the suggested serving and change the amount in small steps.
Check two things on the label: how much kanna or alkaloid content is in each milliliter, and what the liquid base is.
Kanna powders
Plain powder is dried, ground kanna, sometimes fermented first. It's the format closest to traditional kougoed and the least standardized. Alkaloid content can vary from batch to batch, so lab results matter more here than anywhere else. Many people find the taste bitter and earthy.
Capsules and drinks
Two other formats are worth a mention. Kanna capsules hold a measured amount of powder or extract and avoid the taste entirely. Capsule blends are often named for an occasion or a mood. Treat the name as the maker's intention and the ingredient list as the facts.
Kanna beverages and ready-to-drink shots frequently include other active ingredients alongside kanna, so the rest of the label matters as much as the kanna content.
Choosing a format
There isn't one right answer, but a few questions narrow it down. Do you want a fixed serving, or the ability to adjust? How do you feel about measuring? Does taste matter to you? Are you comfortable with other ingredients in the mix, or do you want kanna alone? Your answers will point to a format more reliably than any ranking would.
How to read a kanna label and lab results
A kanna label should answer a handful of plain questions. Reading one takes about a minute once you know the order:
- Find the species. Look for Sceletium tortuosum by its full name.
- Find the serving size and how many servings the package holds.
- Find the strength: an extract ratio, a total alkaloid amount or percentage, or both.
- Read the other ingredients, active and inactive.
- Look for third-party lab results, usually through a QR code or a batch number.
Serving size, extract ratio, and alkaloid content
These three numbers work together. Serving size tells you how much product the maker considers one use. The ratio or alkaloid figure tells you how concentrated that product is. Put them together and you get the number that lets you compare two products: the amount of alkaloids in a single serving.
Not every label gives you enough to do that math. When one doesn't, you're comparing by guesswork, and it's reasonable to prefer a product that shows its numbers.
Third-party lab results
A third-party lab result, often called a certificate of analysis, comes from a laboratory independent of the company selling the product. For kanna, a useful report covers three areas:
- Identity: whether the material is the plant it claims to be.
- Potency: how much alkaloid content is present, ideally broken out by compound.
- Contaminants: heavy metals, pesticides, and microbes.
Match the batch number on the report to the batch number on your package. A report for a different batch tells you about a different batch.
Sourcing details worth looking for
Transparent sourcing usually shows up as specifics: the country or region where the kanna was grown, whether it was cultivated or wild-harvested, and which part of the plant was used. Some makers also say whether the material was fermented. None of these details makes a product better on its own, but a company willing to state them is giving you more to work with.
Signs to slow down
A few things are worth pausing over:
- A label that says "kanna" with no species, no strength, and no serving guidance.
- Lab results that are missing, or that can't be tied to a batch.
- A "proprietary blend" that lists kanna among other ingredients without saying how much of each.
- Language that promises a particular outcome.
Any one of these is a reason to ask questions before buying. Every product in the kanna collection has its own page, and if a detail you want isn't there, ask us.
Starting gently with kanna
Begin with the label's suggested serving, or less
There's no universal kanna serving, because products differ too much in strength. The label on the product in your hand is the only relevant guide. Start at the suggested serving or below it. With drops or loose extract, that can mean a partial amount. With gummies, it can mean cutting a piece in half.
Starting low doesn't mean you'll feel a particular way, or nothing at all. It means that whatever happens, there's less of it to sit with while you learn how this product and your body get along.
Setting and timing
Choose a day without obligations. Be somewhere comfortable, with nowhere you need to drive afterward and no tasks that depend on your full attention. A first try at home on a quiet afternoon tells you more than a first try at a party, where too much else is going on to notice what the kanna is or isn't doing.
Give it time before taking more
Formats differ in onset. Liquids are often described as quicker, while gummies, capsules, and anything else you swallow have to pass through digestion first. The most common mistake with slower formats is deciding too early that nothing is happening and taking a second serving on top of the first.
A simple way around this is to treat one serving as the whole experiment for the day. If you want to try a different amount, do it on another day. It's slower, and it means you only ever change one thing at a time.
Keep notes on your own experience
It sounds fussy, and it works. Write down the product, the amount, the time, what you'd eaten, and how the next few hours went. After three or four entries you'll have something more useful than any general description of kanna, including the ones in this guide: a record of how it goes for you.
Notes also make it easier to compare formats fairly. If you move from gummies to drops, you can check the new experience against what you wrote down, which is more reliable than memory.
Why mixing makes your experience harder to read
When you combine kanna with alcohol, caffeine, or other botanicals, you lose the ability to tell what's doing what. If the evening goes well, you won't know why. If it doesn't, you won't know that either. There's also little research on how kanna combines with other substances, so mixing adds unknowns on top of unknowns.
For the first several tries, keep kanna on its own. The same thinking applies to products. A blend with multiple active ingredients is a different experiment from kanna alone, and it helps to know which one you're running.
Safety and interactions: what's known and what isn't
Kanna and the serotonin system
The most specific safety question about kanna comes straight from the lab research. Mesembrine and related alkaloids appear to act on serotonin reuptake, the same system that many prescription medications and some other supplements act on. When two things work on the same system, their effects can add up in ways neither would produce alone.
How kanna behaves in combination with serotonin-related medications hasn't been properly studied in people. That absence of data is the concern. It isn't evidence that combining them is fine, and it's the interaction question pharmacology sources raise most often about this plant.
Who the studies didn't include
The human studies on kanna enrolled healthy adults. They didn't include people who were pregnant or nursing, people taking prescription medications, or people managing ongoing health conditions. For those groups there is no good data in either direction. That's a real gap, and it shouldn't be read as reassurance.
Commonly reported unwanted effects
Headache, nausea, and stomach upset are the unwanted effects mentioned most often, both in study reports and in everyday accounts. Some people describe feeling jittery or restless, and others feel drowsy.
If kanna doesn't feel right to you, stop using it. An unpleasant first experience is information. There's no reason to push through it, or to try a larger amount hoping for a different result.
If you've taken more than you meant to
It happens, usually with slower formats and a second serving taken too soon. Effects vary from person to person, and they pass with time. If you're worried about how you or someone else is feeling, contact a medical professional or Poison Control.
Storage
Keep all kanna products in locked storage, out of reach of children and pets. This matters most for gummies and drinks, which look like ordinary food, but it applies to every format. Leaving products in their original packaging also keeps the label, the serving information, and the batch number in one place.
What a thin safety record means in practice
Kanna has a long history of traditional use and a short history of formal study. Traditional use involved particular preparations, amounts, and contexts, and it doesn't vouch for a concentrated modern extract taken in a different way. The short-term human studies reported that healthy adults generally tolerated a low-dose extract. They don't cover long-term daily use, high amounts, or combinations.
The practical response is modest. Use small amounts, try one product at a time, pay attention to how you respond, and be willing to stop.
FAQs
What does kanna feel like?
There's no single answer. Many people report feeling calmer, somewhat brighter in mood, or more comfortable socially, and some notice very little. How a given serving feels depends on the product, the format, the amount, and the person, so nobody can tell you in advance how it will go for you.
How long does kanna take to notice?
It depends on the format. Liquids are often described as quicker. Gummies, capsules, and other swallowed formats pass through digestion first, which is usually slower and varies with what you've eaten. Follow the timing guidance on your product's label, and avoid taking a second serving early.
Is kanna the same as kava?
No. Kanna is a succulent from South Africa, and kava is a root from the Pacific Islands. They are unrelated plants with different compounds and separate traditions of use. Our kava guide covers that plant on its own terms.
What's the difference between kanna extract and kanna powder?
Powder is dried, ground plant material, sometimes fermented, and it's closest to the traditional preparation. Extract is concentrated, so a much smaller amount can contain more alkaloids. The two can't be compared by weight. Compare the alkaloid content per serving on each label instead.
Is kanna related to cannabis?
No. The names sound alike, but the plants are unrelated. Kanna is Sceletium tortuosum, a succulent in the ice plant family, and its main active compounds are alkaloids such as mesembrine. It contains no cannabinoids.
What is kougoed?
Kougoed is the Afrikaans name for traditionally prepared kanna: plant material that has been crushed, fermented, and dried. The word translates roughly as "something to chew." Some modern powders are fermented in a way that follows this practice, and their labels may say so.
Where can I find kanna at Purely Found?
The full kanna collection is online, organized by format. If you'd like to talk it through first, the team at our two North Carolina locations, Charlotte and Matthews, is glad to answer questions.
Explore at your own pace
Kanna has a long history and a young body of research, and both are worth keeping in mind. Learn where the plant comes from. Read the label and the lab results. Start with a small amount on a quiet day, and trust your own experience over anyone else's description.
"Feel different. Live curious." is how we think about this kind of exploration. The line describes an approach, and it doesn't promise a particular experience. If you have questions this guide didn't answer, our blogs go deeper on individual plants and formats, and the team is happy to help online or in our Charlotte and Matthews, NC stores.
[Shop Kanna]
[Read Our Blogs]