Demystifying Kanna - The South African Wonder Plant
Being so focused on the psychedelic industry and the many studies currently underway, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that there are plenty of other natural substances that the scientific community is exploring. One in particular is Sceletium tortuosum or more commonly known as Kanna.
A centuries-old remedy from South Africa, Kanna has quietly been making waves as a modern brain booster. Once chewed by indigenous tribes to ease stress and sharpen focus, Kanna is now backed by science for its ability to enhance cognitive function, attention, and flexibility.
So, how does a humble succulent transform into a powerhouse for mental performance? In this article, we’ll break it down by looking at some studies and research. For a more comprehensive look at the history of Kanna, its uses, and legal status, check out our intro to Kanna article.
What Makes Kanna So Special?
Kanna is packed with powerful compounds called mesembrine alkaloids—the key chemical compounds that are the source of Kanna’s mood-enhancing, stress-reducing, and cognition-boosting properties. These alkaloids are naturally occurring organic molecules, and they work synergistically to produce Kanna’s unique effects on the brain and body.. These include mesembrine and mesembrenone, which sound like something out of a sci-fi movie but are actually the secret sauce behind Kanna’s magic.
What do they do? A lot. They work in two major ways:
Boosting Serotonin
Serotonin is the feel-good neurotransmitter that keeps you from snapping at your coworker for stealing your stapler. Both mesembrine and mesembrenone act as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRI), keeping serotonin around longer to help you feel calm, focused, and—dare I say—happy. It’s a similar mechanism that’s observed from antidepressants, but coming in a gentler, natural form.
Inhibiting PDE4
Phosphodiesterase-4 or PDE4 is an enzyme that, when blocked, increases levels of something called cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Mesmembrenone, in addition to acting as an SRI, is also responsible for inhibiting PDE4. If those last two sentences mean nothing to you, then all you’ve got to know is this:
cAMP boosts brain plasticity, memory, and even your ability to adapt to new challenges. Think of it as a software update for your brain.
Here’s a visual showing how this works. It looks complicated, but just focus on the downstream effects of PDE4 inhibition and the increase in cAMP. The right-most column is what we’re looking for when taking Kanna. That is, improved memory, learning, cognition, and anxiety and depression relief.
So, with these two mechanisms combined, Kanna doesn’t just help you think—it helps you think better, faster, and more flexibly.
There are two other mesembrine alkaloids that are contained in Kanna. These two are not talked about as often because there’s a lot less research into them. They’re called mesembrenol and mesembranol. Although there’s not as much research, these two alkaloids are also believed to play a part in Kanna’s benefits.
What does the research say?
Kanna isn’t just riding on its historical hype from its South African origins. Modern research backs up its brain-boosting claims, especially when it comes to Zembrin. Zembrin is a patented, standardized extract of Sceletium tortuosum, developed to bring all the benefits of Kanna into a more consistent and scientifically validated form. The extract is carefully crafted to include a measured balance of Kanna’s active compounds, particularly mesembrine and mesembrenone
Study 1: Sharpening Focus and Mental Flexibility
In a 2014 randomized, placebo-controlled trial, researchers tested Zembrin on a group of healthy adults aged 45–65. Participants who took 25 mg of Zembrin daily for three weeks showed significant improvements in cognitive flexibility and executive function. Cognitive flexibility is your brain’s ability to switch between thinking about different concepts, while executive function includes skills like problem-solving, memory, and reasoning. In simpler terms, Zembrin helped participants think on their feet and manage tasks more effectively.
There’s more though. The study titled, 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, also noted enhancements in processing speed, psychomotor speed, and complex attention—though these didn’t reach statistical significance, they’re still promising. Plus, participants reported better mood and sleep quality, which are crucial for optimal cognitive performance.
So, what’s the takeaway? This study gives solid evidence that Kanna, through Zembrin, can enhance various aspects of cognition, making it a valuable ally for anyone looking to boost their mental game.
Think of it as going from clunky multitasking to sleek efficiency.
Study 2: Goodbye anxiety, Hello brain power
This study sought to explore the brain, and specifically, the amygdala’s response to Zembrin. This is interesting once you understand and consider the role of the amygdala as the region of the brain responsible for threat detection and emotional regulation. When you perceive a threat (like a sudden noise or an angry face), your amygdala lights up, sending signals to other brain areas, including the hypothalamus, to prepare your body for fight-or-flight.
People with high levels of anxiety tend to have an overreactive amygdala, leading to persistent stress and fear responses. In this particular study, titled, Acute Effects of Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin), a Dual 5-HT Reuptake and PDE4 Inhibitor, in the Human Amygdala and its Connection to the Hypothalamus, the researchers wanted to see if Zembrin could reduce this hyper-responsiveness and create a calmer brain state.
Study design and methodology
The study involved sixteen healthy university students (aged 18–21). They participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study where each participant received a 25 mg dose of Zembrin in one session and a placebo in another. Sessions were conducted on different days with a 5–9 day gap between sessions.
The study had the students perform two different tasks during functional MRI (fMRI) scans:
- Perceptual Load Task (PLT): This task involved identifying specific letters (like “X” or “N”) while ignoring distracting images of faces showing neutral or fearful expressions. Remember that the amygdala lights up as a fear response. So during the tests, researchers examined how much the amygdala reacted to these fearful faces, especially during low-load tasks when the brain had less to focus on.
- Emotion Matching Task (EMT): In this task, participants matched the emotional expressions of faces. It aimed to assess the level of communication between the amygdala and the hypothalamus.
The Results
In the study, participants who took Zembrin had significantly less amygdala activity when shown fearful faces compared to those on a placebo. In simple terms, Zembrin helped their brains hit the pause button on those knee-jerk fear responses.
This finding explains in part the neuroscience behind Kanna’s calming effects because we know that an overactive amygdala often shows up in people with anxiety, driving exaggerated stress reactions. By dialling it down, Zembrin was shown to give a helping hand to the students by keeping them in a calm and collected state of mind.
The researchers also uncovered another interesting finding. Zembrin weakened the connection between the amygdala and the hypothalamus during the emotional matching task. This finding is especially interesting because of the hypothalamus’ role in relation to the amygdala. The connection between these brain areas plays a central role in the body’s fight-or-flight response. By weakening it, Zembrin may help “turn down the volume” on the body’s stress response. Again, this could be one of the processes by which Kanna produces a calmer, more grounded state of mind.
Wrapping It Up
The studies on Kanna, through its standardized extract Zembrin, reveal a fascinating intersection of traditional wisdom and modern science. It’s so often the case that through scientific study, we arrive at conclusions similar to those made by ‘primitive’ cultures. By calming the overactive amygdala, weakening its connection to the hypothalamus, and boosting serotonin while inhibiting PDE4, Kanna demonstrates its potential as a natural solution for stress, anxiety, and even cognitive enhancement. Although the indigenous tribes of South Africa wouldn’t understand the interactions of compounds in the brain, they were centuries ahead of us in using the incredible Kanna plant as a mood booster and cognitive enhancer.
So what does this mean for you? The findings suggest that Kanna is more than a tool for managing anxiety—it could also improve your focus, enhance your emotional resilience, and support long-term brain health. Whether you’re looking for a way to stay calm under pressure or simply sharpen your mental edge, Kanna offers a plant-based, scientifically-backed option that’s as practical as it is promising. With more research on the horizon, Kanna might just become the natural brain booster of the future.
If you’re interested in giving Kanna a try, Mind Mend has its very own Kanna tablets. We call them Kanna Bliss. We formulated our tablets to make sure you get the best possible effects from this amazing plant. Click here to learn more.
References
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. (2014). 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(1). https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/682014
Terburg, D., Syal, S., Rosenberger, L. A., Heany, S., Phillips, N., Gericke, N., Stein, D. J., & Van Honk, J. (2013). 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, 38(13), 2708–2716. https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2013.183
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/PDE4-inhibition-cAMP-signaling-and-brain-function_fig2_251877451
