Feel Kanna First.

“There is only one Kanna brand that I trust for my patients, The Sceletium Source! It’s consistent and completely efficacious! You’d be amazed by the progress that these people exhibit! It makes my heart soar!”

— Chris Curley, Chief Healing Officer

Dual Mechanism

Mood & Inflammation

No other botanical does both.

Primary Mechanisms

Serotonin reuptake inhibition (SERT)  ·  PDE4 inhibition  ·  Monoamine modulation  ·  Mild cholinergic activity

Ancient Knowledge

The San and Khoikhoi peoples of Southern Africa are believed to have used Kanna since prehistoric times, though written records only begin in 1662. These aboriginal groups encountered the plant in Namaqualand and Kannaland regions of South Africa, recognizing its medicinal and spiritual significance.

Notably, the Khoisan word "Kanna" refers both to the great Eland antelope and to Sceletium tortuosum itself. The Eland held deep magical importance as "the trance animal par excellence" in San thought, symbolizing fertility, rainmaking, divination, and healing — establishing an intimate spiritual connection with Kanna.

Earliest Colonial Discoveries

Governor Simon van der Stel's 1685 expedition produced the earliest illustration of a Sceletium plant. The accompanying description noted that the Namaquas "chew its stem as well as its roots, mostly all day, and become intoxicated by it."

By 1662, the Namaquas were trading Kanna with Dutch colonists. Later observers documented its widespread use: Kolben (1738) called it "the greatest Chearer of the Spirits," while Swedish botanist Carl Peter Thunberg described the traditional preparation method involving fermentation and chewing. By 1789, explorer Paterson noted its combination with other herbs in smoking mixtures.

Later Traditional Use

The Afrikaans term "Kougoed" — literally "chewing stuff" — emerged around 1830 for Sceletium tortuosum. Traditional applications expanded to include pain relief, particularly for toothache and abdominal discomfort. Kanna also served as a sedative for infants, with mothers applying the juice or saliva from chewed roots to babies' mouths.

Modern Era

Since the mid-1990s, Kanna has gained international recognition, particularly following Smith et al.'s 1996 journal article. Contemporary developments include cultivated varieties, standardized extracts, and renewed interest in traditional fermented preparations.

Physical Characteristics

The genus Sceletium derives from Latin meaning "skeleton," identified by its distinctive skeletonised leaf venation pattern visible in the dry leaves. Small bladder cells called idioblasts appear on its fleshy, thick leaves. Flowers feature threadlike petals ranging from white to yellow, occasionally pale orange or pink. The creeping plant grows 15–20cm tall, typically beneath larger shrubs. Succulent leaves grow in pairs during winter — in summer the leaves die off to minimize water loss.

Distribution & Climate

Most of the approximately 1,000 species of Mesembryanthemoideae are endemic to the arid and semi-arid regions of Southern Africa. Sceletium tortuosum thrives in Namaqualand and Kannaland within South Africa's Western Cape, where rainfall can be as low as 100ml per year. The plant inhabits quartz patches under shrubs in partial shade — a true survivor of the Karoo.

Brian Powell and Michael Curley are first cousins — but more like brothers. They grew up together in South Philly in the 1970s, bound by music, health, and an unbreakable bond that has only deepened with time. Chris Curley, our Chief Healing Officer, is Michael's son. Brian has known Chris since the day he was born on the South Jersey Shore.

Chris's mother, MaryEllen — a Physical Therapist, distance swimmer, and lifelong wellness advocate — raised Chris in a household where health wasn't a habit, it was a calling. Chris went on to build a career in healing through Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic practice, acupuncture, herbal remedies, and lifestyle design. His philosophy: create the conditions where the body heals itself and a whole person evolves.

In the winter of 2026, Brian, Michael and Chris attended a plant medicine retreat together. Brian broached the idea of Kanna. Chris had heard of it — but barely. It hadn't really arrived in North America yet. What followed felt inevitable. Brian had spent decades in Better-For-You Foods, championing Food as Medicine through a string of pioneering Natural Foods startups. These three had always been heading here.

Then there's Jeff Minehart. After college, Jeff spent a few years on Shakedown Street — traveling the country as a free-spirited entrepreneur in the Grateful Dead economy. When Brian first met him, he knew immediately — Jeff was as talented a communicator as he had ever met. Jeff joined Brian's startup allGoode Organics as Sales Lead and took to it like a Phish to water. He never left the industry, going on to run Sales at Navitas Organics for 15 years and becoming one of the most respected voices in botanical ingredients in North America.

The three of them share one more thing: a love of the ocean. Jeff surfs the breaks of New Hampshire and Puerto Rico. Chris is rooted at the Jersey Cape. Brian holds down the office in Philly — but gets to the ocean every chance he gets. Together, they are a dream team built for this moment — for the overwhelmed, the searching, the curious. For everyone ready to feel better, connect deeper, and live fuller.

This sacred plant is the answer. Welcome to KANNACTION.

Cheers,
Brian