Sceletium is most commonly found in mood, stress, and anxiety supplement formulas — in capsule, tablet, and tincture form. It appears both as a standalone ingredient and in combination formulas alongside adaptogens like ashwagandha and rhodiola, or nootropics like L-theanine and lion's mane mushroom.

The most clinically researched form is Zembrin® — a patented, standardised Sceletium extract. If clinical evidence matters to you, look for this on the label. Sceletium also appears in some South African herbal teas and artisanal wellness products that honour its traditional Khoisan roots.

In traditional Khoisan practice, Sceletium was fermented before use — the plant material was bruised and left in its own juices, which transforms the alkaloid profile and enhances its mood-elevating effects. The fermented plant was then chewed, smoked, or used as snuff. This is the origin of the name kougoed, meaning "chew thing" in Afrikaans.

Modern commercial production follows regulated agricultural practices on licensed South African farms. After harvest, the plant material undergoes controlled fermentation and drying before being extracted and standardised into supplement-grade powder or extract. The most rigorously tested form — Zembrin® — uses a patented process to ensure consistent alkaloid levels (primarily mesembrine and mesembrenone) in every batch.

The earliest written record of Sceletium use dates to 1662, when Dutch colonist Jan van Riebeeck documented the Khoikhoi trading it at the Cape. But archaeological evidence suggests the San people had been using Kanna for thousands of years before that — in ritual, medicine, and to sustain endurance on long migrations across the Karoo.

Sceletium is now one of the only African plants to have completed randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology demonstrated that Zembrin® significantly reduced anxiety and improved cognitive flexibility — validating what the Khoisan already knew. South Africa also has a formal benefit-sharing agreement in place for Sceletium's commercial use, meaning indigenous communities receive a share of revenue generated from the plant globally.