OVERVIEW

Kambo is the venomous secretion of the Phyllomedusa bicolor (the giant leaf or monkey frog), a bright green tree frog native to the Amazon basin. It can be found in the rainforest regions of northern Brazil, eastern Peru, southeastern Colombia, and parts of Venezuela, Bolivia, and the Guianas.

Giant monkey frogs have a distinctive ‘song’ that can be followed to collect them at night. Captive specimens are harmlessly stressed to induce the secretion and the waxy substance is spread onto wooden palettes from the back and legs of the frog. Once dried, kambo can be stored for upwards of a year without losing its potency. For use, it is mixed with water and directly applied to superficial points burnt on the skin.

Kambo has a range of traditional and potential therapeutic applications, both medical and psycho-spiritual. Commonly described as an ‘ordeal medicine’, the secretion is known for its powerful purgative effects. Despite its initial unpleasantness, kambo is widely sought out to revitalize body and mind.

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​THERAPEUTIC USE

Some of Kambo’s most exciting potential and medical application is via the inoculation or introduction of antimicrobial poly-peptides known as dermaseptins into the human body.

Dermaseptins, including adenoregulin, are powerful antibiotics. Found to be rapidly and irreversibly effective against a range of parasitic microorganisms, they’re also entirely non-toxic to mammalian cells. Combined with their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, peptides in kambo are especially promising for conditions like Cryptococcal meningitis in patients with late-stage HIV. Among the pathogens killed by dermaseptin B2 are the filamentous fungi that opportunistically infect AIDS patients. With the emergence and spread of highly resistant pathogenic bacteria, novel antibiotics such as these are becoming critical.

Since adenoregulin affects the binding of agonists to adenosine receptors—instrumental in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier—it may be useful in the development of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and strokes. Anecdotal evidence supports kambo’s use in depression treatment, anxiety, and addiction. There’s also compelling anecdotal evidence for kambo’s effectiveness in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

The deltorphins and dermorphin present in kambo have analgesic effects comparable to the body’s own pain response of beta-endorphin release. They’re also stronger than morphine without the same level of respiratory depression, tolerance potential, and withdrawal symptoms.

Phyllokinin may be useful in the treatment of hypertension, having been shown to lower blood pressure more effectively than other polypeptides.

Other conditions that may benefit from kambo include chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, vascular problems, hepatitis, diabetes, rheumatism, and arthritis.

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PERSONAL GROWTH

Kambo is frequently offered alongside ayahuasca, ibogaine, 5-MeO-DMT, and other plant medicines for holistic treatment. According to practitioners, the secretion “resets” the body, not only by strengthening the immune system but also through distinct psycho-spiritual benefits.

Panema—an Arawak term used by the Ashaninka and others—describes a negative energy that gathers over time. Traditionally visualized as a kind of dense grey cloud or aura, panema is blamed for bad luck, depression, laziness, irritation, and other adverse states. Naturally, clearing this cloud is vital for indigenous groups that depend on hunting and community coherence. For many, kambo serves this purpose.

Outside of traditional contexts, the dissipation of panema is framed in terms of “clearing the pain body,” “realigning the chakras,” or reorganizing personal psychology. The purge itself may be felt as an expulsion of bad thoughts, habits, negative personality traits, or persistent life problems.

A profoundly transformational tool, kambo is known to increase compassion, courage, emotional stability, and personal sovereignty. Some have expressed feeling more “real” or “solid” after kambo application—less in their heads and more in their bodies. Frustration, anger, and anxiety also tend to clear. These positive changes may last several days or several months, depending on the application and the person receiving it.

Kambo may also help to overcome a fear of dying. According to one practitioner, terminally ill patients have claimed to see “the other side” during their experience, returning with a newfound serenity about passing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT TO EXPECT

The immediate effects of kambo are usually intense and unpleasant but short-lived, usually lasting no more than 30-40 minutes. They include a rise in temperature, sweating, shivers, and dizziness as the heart rate becomes rapid. The blood pressure may rise or fall dramatically, accompanied by an increased awareness of veins and arteries. Many people report a tingling or charged sensation like electricity that starts from the points and spreads through the body. Some may also feel a dissociative sensation.

Overwhelming nausea is generally unavoidable with kambo and purging is likely—either by vomiting, defecation, or both. Other effects may include a feeling of pressure in the head, neck, and torso, stomach tightness, and swelling.

After these initial effects have worn off and the heart rate has returned to normal, it is necessary to take time for rest.

Your experience may feel enhanced following the kambo session. You may feel great physical strength, sharpened senses, and heightened mental alertness. Desirable effects like these may take a day to materialize or could be immediate. They also tend to include a consistently elevated mood, increased physical and mental energy, decreased stress, and enhanced focus.

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ABOUT THE PRACTITIONERS