Sceletium: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

Sceletium (Sceletium tortuosum) is a succulent, ground-cover plant from South Africa. It's traditionally used as medicine in South Africa.

Sceletium has also been used to get "high." It contains chemicals that might reduce anxiety and cause sleepiness.

People sometimes use sceletium for anxiety, depression, stress, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Uses & Effectiveness

We currently have no information for Sceletium overview.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: There isn't enough reliable information to know if sceletium is safe. Side effects might include anxiety, headache, insomnia, irritability, and nausea.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: There isn't enough reliable information to know if sceletium is safe. Side effects might include anxiety, headache, insomnia, irritability, and nausea.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if sceletium is safe to used when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid using.

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

Sedative medications (CNS depressants) interacts with Sceletium
Sceletium might cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Some medications, called sedatives, can also cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Taking sceletium with sedative medications might cause breathing problems and/or too much sleepiness.

Dosing

There isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of sceletium might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.

View References

REFERENCES:

Smith MT, Crouch NR, Gericke N, Hirst M. Psychoactive constituents of the genus Sceletium N.E.Br. and other Mesembryanthemaceae: a review. J Ethnopharmacol 1996;50:119-30.

Patnala S, Kanfer I. Investigations of the phytochemical content of Sceletium tortuosum following the preparation of "Kougoed" by fermentation of plant material. J Ethnopharmacol 2009;121:86-91.

Smith C. The effects of Sceletium tortuosum in an in vivo model of psychological stress. J Ethnopharmacol 2011;133:31-6.

Smith MT, Field CR, Crouch NR, Hirst M. The Distribution of Mesembrine Alkaloids in Selected Taxa of Kanna and their Modification in the Sceletium Derived `Kougoed.' Pharm Biol 1998;36:173-9.

Terburg D, Syal S, Rosenberger LA, et al. 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. 2013;38(13):2708-16. doi: 10.1038/npp.2013.183.

Nell H, Siebert M, Chellan P, Gericke N. A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial of Extract Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin) in healthy adults. J Altern Complement Med. 2013;19(11):898-904. doi: 10.1089/acm.2012.0185.

Harvey AL, Young LC, Viljoen AM, Gericke NP. Pharmacological actions of the South African medicinal and functional food plant Sceletium tortuosum and its principal alkaloids. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011;137(3):1124-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.07.035.

Bennett AC, Van Camp A, López V, Smith C. Sceletium tortuosum may delay chronic disease progression via alkaloid-dependent antioxidant or anti-inflammatory action. J Physiol Biochem. 2018;74(4):539-47. doi: 10.1007/s13105-018-0620-6.

Bennett AC, Smith C. Immunomodulatory effects of Sceletium tortuosum (Trimesemine) elucidated in vitro: Implications for chronic disease. J Ethnopharmacol. 2018;214:134-40. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.12.020.

Meyer GMJ, Wink CSD, Zapp J, Maurer HH. GC-MS, LC-MS(n), LC-high resolution-MS(n), and NMR studies on the metabolism and toxicological detection of mesembrine and mesembrenone, the main alkaloids of the legal high "Kanna" isolated from Sceletium tortuosum. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2015;407(3):761-78. doi: 10.1007/s00216-014-8109-9.

Reay J, Wetherell MA, Morton E, Lillis J, Badmaev V. Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin®) ameliorates experimentally induced anxiety in healthy volunteers. Hum Psychopharmacol 2020:e2753. Online ahead of print.

Hoffman JR, Markus I, Dubnov-Raz G, Gepner Y. Ergogenic effects of 8 days of Sceletium tortuosum supplementation on mood, visual tracking, and reaction in recreationally trained men and women. J Strength Cond Res 2020;34(9):2476-81.

Gericke J, Lekhooa M, Steyn SF, Viljoen AM, Harvey BH. An acute dose-ranging evaluation of the antidepressant properties of Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin®) versus escitalopram in the Flinders Sensitive Line rat. J Ethnopharmacol. 2022 Feb 10;284:114550. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114550.

CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

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