Kambo: What is the ‘spiritual tradition’ of poison frogs? | | Government Affairs

Several people around the world have died after taking part in an ancient cure known as kambo, which involves drinking frog poison.

The spiritual tradition of kambo, which is promoted among Western “wellness communities” as the only way to treat a variety of physical and mental ailments, from anxiety to arthritis, is not supported by any scientific evidence.

In April this year, 40-year-old UK teacher and cancer survivor Kristian Trend was the latest to die after taking part in a “cleansing ritual” that affected the body, local media reported.

Trend’s mother told UK newspaper The Telegraph that she wants the practice banned. Although it is legal to buy toad poison from the UK, it is not considered a legal medicine.

This practice has also been banned by other countries.

What is a kambo?

Kambo is an ancient shamanic healing tradition that originated in South American traditional medicine. This was done by the tribes of Amazonia hundreds of years ago. The word “kambo” refers to the secretion of a giant monkey frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor), which is used to burn the skin during the ceremony.

Experts say that it is difficult to name the exact origin of the word because in most cases the knowledge of the ceremony was given orally, not written down.

The earliest written record of this practice was written in 1925, when the French missionary Constant Tastevin wrote about an event that took place on the border between Peru and Brazil.

The monkey toad hides in order to kill or injure enemies that try to attack it. The secrets are also called sapo, which means “frog” in Spanish.

Many aquatic animals produce such toxins. In February this year, European countries criticized Russia for using poison made from the secretions of South American frogs. killing Kremlin dissident Alexey Navalny.

How does Kambo work?

Kambo is an ancient spiritual and healing practice practiced by a renowned healer.

The frog’s secretions are collected and dried before the animal is released into the wild. A heating stick is then used to create small, visible wounds on the surface of the skin, and dry compresses are applied to these points by the healer, who repeats chants while waiting for the kambo to work.

A bucket is often placed in front of the person receiving the treatment in anticipation of vomiting – a common practice during the ceremony. Then, the kamboko is removed from the fire.

What is spider toxin?

Kambo is considered toxic because it contains a complex mixture of bioactive peptides – short chains of amino acids – including some that strongly stimulate the stomach’s metabolism, causing severe nausea and vomiting, and others that act directly on the cardiovascular system, causing a rapid drop in blood pressure and fainting.

Some peptides have opioid-like effects, altering respiration and affecting the central nervous system. In many cases, this combination can cause sudden heart problems or serious organ damage, which can be fatal.

Before the ceremony, the recipient is often advised to drink plenty of water. Combined with severe vomiting and fluid changes, this can lead to hyponatremia – too little sodium in the blood, sometimes called water intoxication. Severe hyponatremia can cause brain swelling, seizures, coma, and in the worst cases, brain death.

Cancer also causes the stomach to contract violently, causing the esophagus to rupture, which in turn can lead to death.

What is the ritual of the kambo?

Kambo is known as a “cleansing” ritual, which is believed to remove toxins from the body and, according to some traditions, promote fertility, maleness and bring good luck.

It is also used to treat diseases and conditions such as addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, cancer, chronic pain, depression, diabetes, liver disease, HIV and AIDS, infections, rheumatism and blood vessels, according to the US health website, Healthline.

But doctors say there is no scientific evidence that kambo is effective in treating these diseases, and current medical reports instead link kambo to serious illness and death.

Healthline lists side effects of kambo as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness, palpitations, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, swelling of the lips, eyelids or face and even loss of bladder control.

Who has been using it?

In the last two decades, the song has become popular in Western and Latin American countries. It has been accepted in “wellness” circles and medical circles in Brazil, Australia, the UK and the United States.

Anthropologists have cautioned against the use of kambo by non-natives, however. UK journalists recently reported that Yamanawa leader Joaquim Luz condemned the sale of kambo online and warned that using it without planning or permission from rural areas puts people at risk. The Yamanawa people originate from the Acre region of Brazil in the Amazon, with territories extending into Peru and Bolivia.

Who died of cancer?

There have been at least six known deaths from kambo use worldwide in recent years.

In 2008, a 52-year-old man died in Brazil after receiving chemotherapy.

In 2018, a man in Italy died of an abnormal heartbeat while having a baby. The man was obese and had ventricular hypertrophy, which causes the large pumping chambers of the heart to harden.

In 2019, Australian woman Natasha Lechner, 39, died while taking part in a kambo ritual to cure her back pain.

In October 2021, Australian father Jarrad Antonovich died after undergoing surgery. He was thought to have died from a punctured throat after vomiting profusely.

In 2024, Mexican actress Marcela Alcazar Rodríguez died at the age of 33 after drinking alcohol during a purification ceremony.

Then, in March this year, 40-year-old UK health coach Kristian Trend died after taking part in the event.

What have the authorities done?

A recent review published in the medical journal Cureus confirmed that kambo kambo should be strictly controlled, after identifying several cases of serious behavior and death related to the ritual.

In 2004, Brazil banned the sale and purchase of kambo. It is also illegal to import frog poison used in ceremonies in Chile.

Recently, in 2021, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the country’s medical regulator, banned the use of kambo and declared it toxic.

Kambo is also not allowed in the US, and in January 2025, the US embassy in Peru issued a statement advising US citizens coming to Peru not to use it.