Hoodia gordonii (Asclepiadaceae) is a succulent plant from South Africa. The plant has recently gained much attention because it has been attributed appetite-suppressing properties, properties which have been related to the fraction of triterpeonoid saponins. Adulteration has become a major issue as the plant has been on the verge of extinction due to overharvesting.

Our projects are aimed on

• Cultivation of Hoodia and development of cultivation techniques aimed on plant material ensuring the presence of triterpenes
• Development of analytical standards