Research into this plant began in the 1960's and in 1977 a compound, P57, was isolated from Hoodia gordonii by the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Zwa u ṱoḓulusa hetshi tshimela zwo thoma nga1960 nga 1977 ya shuma kha, P57, yo bviswa kha Hoodia gordonii nga Counsil ya Afrika Tshipembe na vha Industrial Research (CSIR).