Kanna Herb: The Gateway to Less Stress, More Bliss?

A Medicinal Herb With a Long History

Sceletium tortuosum is a South African succulent known for relieving anxiety and pain, as well as helping to boost mood, improve sleep, and suppress appetite. It’s commonly known as kanna and has created quite a buzz within health and wellness circles in recent years as a safe alternative for pharmaceuticals that treat mood disorders, inflammation, Alzheimer’s, and more. While testimonials about the herb are promising, what does science have to say?

Modern Applications For A Traditional Herb

Fermented for medicinal purposes, the herb is known as kanna, channa, or kougoed and has been used for centuries to address hunger, thirst, and pain. It is considered psychoactive because it influences serotonin receptors in the brain, but it’s not hallucinogenic or addictive. Studies have found that the herb may indeed be useful for treating anxiety and depression, improving mood, and alleviating pain.¹

By Tommi Nummelin – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

A small, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 16 healthy participants found that the use of kanna showed a reduction in the amygdala region of the brain associated with the fear response, which in turn significantly lowered their anxiety levels.² In another clinical study, the herb was also shown to reduce stress and promote relaxation by regulating glucocorticoid production in the adrenal glands.³ A 2022 study also found kanna to have the same antidepressant effects as the drug escitalopram in animal models.⁵

Clinical psychologist Vincenzo Sinisi, SAPA, HPCSA shares his observation on the herb and the benefits he’s seen with his own patients:

“When it works, it works without question,” he 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.”⁸

Moreover, kanna may promote cognitive health and improved brain function by enhancing processing and psychomotor speed, attention, and memory when taking 25mg per day for three weeks.⁴ Researchers also hypothesize that the herb may help to address early symptoms of Alzheimer’s due to its ability to block phosphodiesterase 4.⁷

What about pain? Traditionally, the herb has been chewed or smoked for pain relief by South African tribes. Researchers decided to put it to the test and established the analgesic properties of the plant in animal studies — without any disruption of balance or coordination often seen with pharmaceutical pain relievers.⁷

Safety Considerations

Since kanna acts upon serotonin receptors in the brain, the herb should not be used by those taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) as it may lead to too much serotonin in the nervous system — otherwise known as serotonin syndrome. When this happens, it can cause tremors, twitching, insomnia, anxiety, and increased heart rate. In serious cases, it can lead to seizures, delirium, exceptionally high body temperature, or even coma. It may also interact with warfarin, antipsychotics, sibutramine, tramadol, and St. John’s Wort.

Additionally, the herb can enhance the effects of alcohol and cannabis. Avoid kanna if nursing or pregnant as safety is unknown. Do not exceed 25 mg/day or use for more than six weeks consecutively.

Herbal Alternatives for Mood, Cognitive Function, & More

If you would like a safe alternative to kanna, our all-natural Anxiety & Stress Blend aids the body in adapting to stress, calms the nervous system, and alleviates anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances caused by tension. It also supports cognitive function and reduces inflammation for optimal brain health.

The key herbs for this blend include ashwagandha for reducing stress, inflammation, and balancing hormones, while lemon balm supports brain function, sleep, and healthy blood sugar levels to promote mood stability. Lion’s mane and reishi medicinal mushrooms enhance cognition, support resilience to stress, and improve energy. Together, these highly concentrated extracts promote overall wellness, vitality, and cognitive health. This tincture can be taken up to three times daily, including at night if anxious thoughts prevent you from falling asleep. If you need a blend purely for sleep, please see our Sleep Blend Tincture.

AN ALL-NATURAL SOLUTION TO STRESS!

“So nice to have a natural way to relax without prescriptions! Love it!! I will be buying more!!” -Christine

Are you ready to learn more? Stop by my apothecary today and explore our full-range of gold standard herbal remedies!

Nicole Apelian

Nicole’s Apothecary Products in this Post

References

1. Jessica M. Carpenter, Mary K. Jourdan, Emily M. Fountain, Zulfiqar Ali, Naohito Abe, Ikhlas A. Khan, Kenneth J. Sufka, The effects of Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E. Br. extract fraction in the chick anxiety-depression model, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 193, 2016, Pages 329-332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2016.08.019.

2. Terburg D, Syal S, Rosenberger LA, Heany S, Phillips N, Gericke N, Stein DJ, van Honk J. Acute effects of Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin), a dual 5-HT reuptake and PDE4 inhibitor, in the human amygdala and its connection to the hypothalamus. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2013 Dec;38(13):2708-16. doi: 10.1038/npp.2013.183. Epub 2013 Aug 1. PMID: 23903032; PMCID: PMC3828542.

3. Swart, A. C., & Smith, C. (2016). Modulation of glucocorticoid, mineralocorticoid and androgen production in H295 cells by Trimesemine™, a mesembrine-rich Sceletium extract. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 177, 35–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.11.033

4. Chiu S, Gericke N, Farina-Woodbury M, Badmaev V, Raheb H, Terpstra K, Antongiorgi J, Bureau Y, Cernovsky Z, Hou J, Sanchez V, Williams M, Copen J, Husni M, Goble L. Proof-of-Concept Randomized Controlled Study of Cognition Effects of the Proprietary Extract Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin) Targeting Phosphodiesterase-4 in Cognitively Healthy Subjects: Implications for Alzheimer’s Dementia. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:682014. doi: 10.1155/2014/682014. Epub 2014 Oct 19. PMID: 25389443; PMCID: PMC4217361.

5. Gericke, J., Lekhooa, M., Steyn, S. F., Viljoen, A. M., & Harvey, B. H. (2022). An acute dose-ranging evaluation of the antidepressant properties of Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin®) versus escitalopram in the Flinders Sensitive Line rat. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 284, 114550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2021.114550

6. Loria, M. J., Ali, Z., Abe, N., Sufka, K. J., & Khan, I. A. (2014). Effects of Sceletium tortuosum in rats. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 155(1), 731–735. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2014.06.007

7. Chiu, Simon, Gericke, Nigel, Farina-Woodbury, Michel, Badmaev, Vladimir, Raheb, Hana, Terpstra, Kristen, Antongiorgi, Joalex, Bureau, Yves, Cernovsky, Zack, Hou, Jirui, Sanchez, Veronica, Williams, Marissa, Copen, John, Husni, Mariwan, Goble, Liz, Proof-of-Concept Randomized Controlled Study of Cognition Effects of the Proprietary Extract Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin) Targeting Phosphodiesterase-4 in Cognitively Healthy Subjects: Implications for Alzheimer’s Dementia, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014, 682014, 9 pages, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/682014

8. “Is Kanna Really Nature’s MDMA? Here’s What You Need to Know” by Lo Styx — Fact checked by Karen Cilli, Verywell Mind, February 10, 2025. https://www.verywellmind.com/news-is-kanna-really-natures-mdma-heres-what-you-need-to-know-5425954