Hoodia is the trade name for Hoodia gordonii, a plant that is native to the plains and desert areas of southwest Africa. In recent years it has been heavily promoted in the United States as a diet supplement because of its properties as an appetite suppressant.
There are many diet supplements on the shelves today that claim to include Hoodia as an ingredient. The popularity of the herb, however, has led to over-harvesting and as a result it is now recognized as an endangered species. People who import it to the United States must have a license to do so and be able to prove that the material was legally harvested.