SYS ONLINE
SUPPLEMENT_SCHOLAR
evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Herb

Kanna (Sceletium)

aka Sceletium tortuosum · Zembrin

South African succulent acting as SSRI + PDE4 inhibitor for mood and stress.

Mood & AnxietyBrain & Cognitive

Overview

South African succulent acting as SSRI + PDE4 inhibitor for mood and stress.

Natural sources
    Common forms

      Mechanism of action

      Mesembrine alkaloids inhibit SERT and PDE4 in cortical regions.

      Pathways

        Effects on the body

        Organ system effects

        Evidence-based benefits

        Reduces stress and anxiety

        Moderate evidence

        Improves executive function (Zembrin)

        Limited evidence

        Potential side effects

        Common
        • · Headache
        • · GI upset
        Rare
          Serious

            Drug interactions

            SSRIs / MAOIs
            Risk of serotonin syndrome.
            severe

            Safety & non-supplemental interactions

            Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

            Avoid if you are
            • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
            • ·Children under 18 (unless directed by a clinician)

            Supplement interactions

            Pairs well with

            None listed.

            Avoid combining with

            No specific avoidances listed.

            Dosing & bioavailability

            Typical dose
            25 mg Zembrin
            With food?
            Morning

            Where to buy

            Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

            Herb
            Kanna (Scele…
            Amazon
            Wide selection · fast shipping
            Herb
            Kanna (Scele…
            iHerb
            Global delivery · curated brands
            Herb
            Kanna (Scele…
            Thorne
            Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

            Scientific evidence (9)

            RCTNeuropsychiatr Dis Treat · 2014

            Zembrin for cognition and anxiety

            Chiu S, et al.

            3-week DB-RCT in 21 adults.

            Key findings

            Improved cognitive flexibility and reduced subjective stress.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Kanna (Sceletium) — Reduces stress and anxiety

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Kanna (Sceletium) Reduces stress and anxiety" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Kanna (Sceletium) and "Reduces stress and anxiety". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Kanna (Sceletium) — Improves executive function

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Kanna (Sceletium) Improves executive function" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Kanna (Sceletium) and "Improves executive function". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Kanna (Sceletium) — randomized controlled trial

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Kanna (Sceletium) randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Kanna (Sceletium) and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Kanna (Sceletium) — meta-analysis

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Kanna (Sceletium) meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Kanna (Sceletium) and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Kanna (Sceletium) — pharmacokinetics

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Kanna (Sceletium) pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Kanna (Sceletium) and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Kanna (Sceletium) — safety adverse events

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Kanna (Sceletium) safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Kanna (Sceletium) and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Kanna (Sceletium) — dose response

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Kanna (Sceletium) dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Kanna (Sceletium) and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

            Google Scholar: Kanna (Sceletium) — clinical evidence

            Live Scholar search

            Cross-database citation index for Kanna (Sceletium) as it relates to "clinical evidence".

            Key findings

            Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

            Open study
            Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.