Kanna Happy Calming extract: kougoed in a 1 gram tube
Of all the plants of the dry South African interior, Sceletium tortuosum is among the best documented. The San and the Khoikhoi chewed the material, which is where the Afrikaans name kougoed comes from. In 1685 Simon van der Stel, governor of the Cape, wrote down how the plants were bruised between stones and then kept in sewn-up sheepskins. The French astronomer De la Caille described roots in 1763 that were harvested in November and December, mixed with water and honey and left to ferment on the rocks. Traditionally that stage ran for five to eight days, after which the material dried in the sun.
The exact role of that fermentation is still debated. Recent literature argues that the crushing matters most, since it releases the cell contents and shifts the balance between the alkaloids, for instance from mesembrine towards mesembrenone. This extract comes from Global Herbs in Helmond, a Dutch supplier of smartshop herbs and extracts to retailers. Within their kanna line every tube carries its own colour: green for Happy Calming, blue for Full Spectrum and purple for the stronger extracts. The name tells you where the maker places this one, at the calm end of the range.
Storage and responsible handling
Keep the tube closed and store it dry and dark, out of reach of children. Work with small amounts and weigh them, because an extract is a different thing from loose leaf. Do not use kanna alongside antidepressants such as SSRIs or MAOIs without medical advice, leave it be during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and stay out of traffic. You carry the responsibility for what you do with this product.
Kanna at Avalon
Beside Happy Calming, Avalon Magic Plants stocks Kanna Full Spectrum, Krystal Ultimate and Premium Extreme Strong, plus loose Kanna Leaves, shredded leaf and Rapé Kanna. Everything leaves our warehouse in discreet packaging.
