Kanna, also known as Kougoed or Sceletium, is a succulent plant native to South Africa that has been used by the Khoisan people for centuries to enhance mood, relieve stress, and promote social connection. Traditionally, the fermented plant was chewed as a ‘quid’, smoked, brewed into tea, or used as a snuff during social rituals, long hunts, and spiritual ceremonies. Today, Kanna is also available in the form of tinctures and extracts, and is gaining popularity as a natural support for stress, low mood, and mental fatigue.
The mood-enhancing effects of Kanna are due to a group of alkaloids, particularly mesembrine, mesembrenone, and tortuosamine. These compounds interact with the brain’s serotonin and dopamine systems. Mesembrine, the most studied of these alkaloids, acts as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI), increasing the availability of serotonin in the brain—similar to how many pharmaceutical antidepressants work, but typically with fewer side effects. Kanna also acts as a PDE4 inhibitor, which may contribute to its anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, and cognitive-enhancing properties.
Users report that Kanna can uplift mood, ease tension and anxiety, and support deeper emotional balance. Chewing or smoking it often produces a mild euphoria and heightened social openness, followed by a sense of calm relaxation. When brewed as tea or taken as a tincture, it provides a gentler, longer-lasting effect that can help reduce mental fatigue and support resilience in the face of stress. Some people also use Kanna to enhance meditation, creative flow, or emotional processing.
Modern clinical interest in Kanna has grown, with studies showing promising results in treating symptoms of anxiety, depression, and cognitive fog. In South Africa, Kanna extracts are sometimes used by psychiatrists and psychologists as part of integrative approaches to mental health. Anecdotally, it has also been reported to enhance the effects of other psychoactive herbs or practices, though care should be taken with combinations—especially with antidepressant medications, which may interact adversely with Kanna’s serotonin-modulating effects.
Whether used ceremonially, socially or simply to smooth out a stressful day, Kanna is a gentle yet herbal ally to uplift the mind and open the heart.