Hoodia Gordonii is a succulent from the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa and has been used as a food source in Mexico and the southwestern United States. It contains fiber and pectin components that are thought to have hypoglycemic activity. It is also thought to lower cholesterol. In type 2 diabetes patients, Hoodia Gordonii has been shown to decrease postprandial glucose. Most studies have been small, uncontrolled trials published in Spanish only. Reported adverse effects include GI upset and dermatitis. New researche shows that it contains Molecule P57, which works by mimicking the effect that glucose has on nerve cells in the brain in effect fooling the body into thinking it is full, even when it is not, thus curbing the appetite.