What Is Kanna? Your Complete Guide to Sceletium Tortuosum

There's a quiet revolution happening in the wellness world — and it's rooted in a little-known South African succulent used for centuries. Kanna, the common name for Sceletium tortuosum, is a mood-brightening botanical that's finally getting the modern attention it deserves. 

Whether you've spotted it on an ingredient label or stumbled across it in your search for natural calm, this guide covers everything you need to know — and why brands like Kamello are incorporating it into their functional beverages.

A Plant with Deep Roots: The History of Kanna

Sceletium tortuosum is a succulent native to the arid regions of South Africa, primarily the Western and Northern Cape. Indigenous Khoikhoi and San communities have used kanna for centuries, traditionally chewing the fermented plant material to ease hunger, reduce fatigue, and promote calm and sociability. The name "kougoed," meaning "something to chew," reflects how deeply this plant was woven into daily life.

European colonizers documented kanna's use as early as the 17th century, noting its mood-lifting qualities and role in social rituals. What was once a tightly held indigenous tradition is now drawing the attention of neuroscientists and wellness brands alike — because what people described for hundreds of years is beginning to find support in modern research.

What Gives Kanna Its Effects? The Bioactive Compounds

Kanna's mood-influencing properties trace back to a family of compounds called mesembrine alkaloids — including mesembrine, mesembrenone, and mesembrenol. A peer-reviewed review in the journal Molecules identifies these as responsible for the plant's ability to influence the central nervous system.

How Kanna Works in the Brain

Mesembrine acts as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, keeping this mood-regulating neurotransmitter available in the brain for longer. Mesembrenone inhibits an enzyme called phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4), which plays a role in cognitive function and stress response — giving kanna a notable dual mechanism.

A 2013 pharmaco-fMRI study in Neuropsychopharmacology found that a standardized kanna extract reduced activity in the amygdala and weakened its connection to fear-response regions, suggesting a measurable calming effect on anxiety-related neural circuits.

What the Research Says About Kanna's Benefits

Studies using the standardized extract Zembrin® have found benefits across several areas in healthy adults. Participants in one randomized controlled trial reported improvements in mood and reduced anxiety, while another suggested performance improvements during complex cognitive tasks. The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation's Cognitive Vitality Reviews note that these findings are promising — though still preliminary.

Tempering Expectations: What We Still Don't Know

According to the Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) program, existing studies on kanna have been small, short-term, and primarily focused on a single proprietary extract. Reported side effects include headaches, gastrointestinal discomfort, fatigue, and drowsiness. More large-scale research is needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn.

A 2021 phytochemistry review on PubMed noted that while evidence supports kanna's mood and anxiety applications, the field is still building the clinical foundation needed for broader therapeutic use. For now, kanna is best understood as a well-tolerated botanical with a long history of traditional use — not a medical treatment.

How Kanna Is Used Today

Modern kanna products range from capsules and powders to tinctures and functional beverages. The plant material has historically been chewed, brewed as tea, or smoked — but today's formulations typically use concentrated extracts standardized to specific alkaloid content.

Kanna as a Functional Beverage Ingredient

One of the most appealing aspects of kanna in modern wellness products is its compatibility with everyday rituals. Unlike pharmaceuticals or high-dose supplements, kanna at common beverage doses is intended to provide a gentle, noticeable shift — not a dramatic effect. Brands that use kanna are often pairing it with complementary botanicals to support a more balanced experience.

Kamello combines 50 mg of kanna extract with 50 mg of kavalactones from kava root in each 12 fl oz can. The pairing is intentional: kava brings a tradition of mellow, full-body calm, while kanna adds the mood-brightening dimension. You can explore all three flavors — Citrus Blossom, Peach and Black Tea, and Spiced Coffee — at the Shop.

Kanna's Growing Role in the Functional Beverage Industry

The functional beverage space has exploded in recent years, with consumers increasingly reaching for drinks that do more than hydrate. Kanna has emerged as one of the more compelling botanical ingredients in this shift — offering a mood-brightening, stress-softening profile that fits naturally into the "drink your wellness" movement.

Why Kanna Works So Well in a Can

What makes kanna especially well-suited to beverages is the way its effects scale at lower doses. Unlike some botanicals that require high concentrations to be noticeable, kanna's serotonergic activity can be felt at the kinds of doses practical in a single can. 

This has made it an attractive option for formulators looking to deliver a genuine functional experience without relying on caffeine or stimulants.

A New Standard for Botanical Drinks

As the category matures, kanna is increasingly being paired with complementary botanicals like kava, adaptogens, and nervines to create more nuanced effect profiles. Brands entering this space — like Kamello — are also raising the bar on taste and presentation, recognizing that a functional drink has to be something people actually want to reach for. If you have questions about Kamello's approach, the Contact page is the best place to start.

Kanna vs. Other Mood-Supporting Botanicals

With so many adaptogens on the market, it helps to understand where kanna fits in. What makes it distinct is its specific affinity for serotonergic pathways — the same pathways targeted by many modern antidepressants, though through very different mechanisms and at very different scales.

Safety, Quality, and What to Look For

Quality and sourcing matter enormously with kanna. Because it is primarily produced and processed in South Africa, supply chain integrity is important. OPSS also cautions that some kanna products have been found adulterated with substances like hordenine and ephedrine — underscoring the importance of choosing transparent, reputable brands that use tested ingredients.

For consumers exploring kanna in beverage form, key questions to ask include: What extract is being used, at what dose, and alongside what other ingredients? For a closer look at what's inside Kamello's formulations, the Product Benefits page offers a full breakdown.

Taste, Feel, and the Everyday Experience

Users frequently describe kanna's effects as a warmth and ease that doesn't feel sedating — more like the removal of a low-grade tension they didn't realize they were carrying. Many note a gentle uplift in mood and a sense of openness in social settings, echoing the traditional uses that first put kanna on the map.

The experience is subtle by design. Kanna isn't meant to produce dramatic altered states at typical supplemental doses — it's a gentle nudge toward ease, clarity, and connection. That's part of what makes it such a natural fit for functional beverages: it complements a moment rather than dominating it.

Make Your Ritual Count

Kanna has traveled a long road — from the arid lands of South Africa to the cutting edge of botanical wellness. If you're curious about what this ancient plant can add to your day, the easiest place to start is with a well-crafted drink that brings it to life. Browse Kamello's full lineup at the Shop and find the flavor that fits your moment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is kanna the same as kava? 

No. Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) and kava (Piper methysticum) are different plants from different regions. Kava, from the South Pacific, mainly affects GABA receptors to promote relaxation. Kanna, from South Africa, works primarily through serotonin pathways to support mood and emotional balance. They’re sometimes used together because their effects can complement each other.

Can kanna make you high? 

At typical beverage and supplement doses, kanna is not considered a recreational psychoactive substance. It may produce noticeable warmth, calm, and mild mood elevation, but these effects are subtle and do not impair cognition. OPSS notes that kanna is sometimes promoted for euphoric effects at higher doses — a context in which its safety profile is less well studied.

How long does it take to feel kanna's effects? 

When consumed in beverage form, many people notice effects within 20 to 45 minutes. Individual response times vary based on body weight, metabolism, whether you've eaten recently, and personal sensitivity to serotonergic compounds.

Is kanna safe to take every day? 

Current research doesn't offer definitive guidance on long-term daily use, as clinical studies have been short-term. While kanna has a long history of traditional use, those applications were often intermittent rather than continuous. Consult a healthcare professional before adding any botanical supplement to your daily routine.

Can kanna interact with medications? 

Because kanna affects serotonin reuptake, it may interact with SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, or other serotonergic drugs. Combining them could increase the risk of serotonin syndrome, a serious condition. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before using kanna if you take medications that affect serotonin.

How is kanna harvested and processed? 

After harvesting, kanna traditionally undergoes fermentation before use. This process activates and concentrates certain alkaloids while reducing compounds that can cause nausea at high doses. Modern commercial extracts use controlled methods to standardize alkaloid content — particularly mesembrine and mesembrenone levels — for consistency across products.

Does kanna have a flavor? 

Raw kanna has a mild, earthy, slightly bitter taste — which is partly why it was traditionally chewed rather than eaten whole. When used as a concentrated extract in beverages, its flavor contribution is minimal and blends easily with other ingredients. In Kamello's drinks, the extract is fully integrated into the overall flavor profile with no noticeable bitterness.