Kanna extracts concentrate the active compounds of Sceletium tortuosum into a form that can be measured and dosed. This guide covers what plant extraction is, how kanna has traditionally been prepared, and how our extracts are made.
Plant Extraction
A plant extract is a concentrated form of a plant's active compounds — alkaloids, in kanna's case — separated from the fibers and other material of the raw plant. Common methods include solvent extraction, steam distillation for oils, and supercritical CO2 extraction.
Raw plant material carries active compounds at low and variable levels. Extraction concentrates them, improves stability, and makes precise measurement possible.
Traditional Preparation
The San and Khoi peoples traditionally prepared kanna by fermentation: crushing the plant, sealing it for several days, then drying it in the sun. Fermentation changes the alkaloid profile, and the method has been used for centuries.
Modern Extraction
Modern kanna extraction uses solvents — typically ethanol or water — to dissolve the alkaloids out of dried plant material. The solvent is then evaporated at controlled temperatures, because excess heat degrades the alkaloids. More advanced processes separate and purify the individual alkaloids.
Extract Versus Raw Material
Alkaloid levels in unprocessed kanna vary with soil, climate, and harvest timing, and the alkaloids degrade with exposure to air, light, and moisture.
An extract solves both problems. It concentrates the alkaloids to a stated figure, and it can be stabilized on a carrier so the figure holds over time.
Our Process
Our extracts are made by a patented process at a GMP certified facility in South Africa.
The process isolates mesembrine, mesembrenone, and ∆7-mesembrenone and binds each to mannitol, an inert sugar carrier, at the concentration set for that extract. The standard line is concentrated to 5% total alkaloids by weight — a guaranteed minimum. LIFT XR, our extra strength extract, carries a guaranteed minimum of 16%.
Because the profile is set during extraction, each extract carries its own balance: LIFT for the daytime, BLISS for warmth in the body, REST for the evening. What those differences feel like is covered in What Does Kanna Feel Like?
Every lot is tested by an independent laboratory for its alkaloid profile and screened for contaminants. Where a certificate of analysis has been issued for a product, it is published on that product's page.
Common Questions
What does "5% total alkaloids by weight" actually mean?
Five percent of the powder's weight is kanna alkaloid. The figure is a guaranteed minimum rather than a typical result, which is the distinction worth checking on any label — How To Choose A Kanna Extract works through it.
What is the other 95%?
Mannitol. Each alkaloid is bound to mannitol for stability, so in an extract concentrated to 5% total alkaloids the remaining 95% of the weight is that carrier. Mannitol is an inert sugar alcohol and contributes nothing to the effect.
Is a higher concentration the one to buy?
Not necessarily. Concentration tells you how much alkaloid sits in a given weight of powder. The alkaloid profile — the share of mesembrine, mesembrenone, and ∆7-mesembrenone — is what decides the character of the effect. A higher concentration means a smaller serving by weight, not a different kind of experience.
How is an extract different from the fortified herb?
Fortified Kanna Herb is the plant itself, processed to a set 3% mesembrine by weight, for tea, infusions, and herbal blends. An extract is the alkaloids separated out and bound to a carrier, measured in milligrams. They are different products with different servings; do not carry a figure from one to the other.
Kanna is serotonergic. Consult a healthcare provider before use, especially if you take any serotonergic medication or supplement.
†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
