Kambo’s Bio-active Peptides: A “Fantastic Chemical Cocktail”
*Originally published June 2022.
Written by: SAMANTAH PIERSON
Kambo is on the rise all over the world. Over the last 10 years it has gained tremendous popularity in connection with psychedelic culture. I’ve seen the use of Kambo skyrocket here in Utah in particular. But why is that? Kambo itself is not classified as a psychedelic. So what is the draw?
Before we answer that, let me give you a brief overview of what Kambo is. Kambo is the secretion collected from the Phyllomedusa bicolor (aka Giant Monkey Frog) that is used in populations in the Amazon region. It is administered through the skin via a burn made with the tip of a vine. After it is placed on the exposed layer of skin, clients typically feel a flushed sensation after a few minutes. What follows is a purge of some kind. Most commonly is vomiting, but I have also seen emotional purging, such as crying.
The Matses tribe has shared their belief that Kambo sessions allow them to connect to nature before a hunt, mask their scent, and increase their strength and stamina. The women of the tribe have used Kambo for fertility purposes, and it is also given to those who are ill in an effort to purge the illness. In my own practice, I describe Kambo as a purification for the body, mind, emotions, and spirit, because I have seen it do its magic on all four areas of our being. From what I have observed, Kambo is a beautiful way to reconnect to nature. My clients report feeling “grounded” and “back in their body” regularly. And clients come back for more time-and-time again.
So back to that question. What is the draw? Well, like I said before, it reconnects to nature, yes. But Kambo’s benefits are also backed by scientific research, not just testimony. Kambo was first researched in the 1980s by Nobel Prize nominee Vittorio Erspamer, an Italian pharmacologist. He said that Kambo contains a “fantastical chemical cocktail with potential medical applications unmatched by any other amphibian.”
What Erspamer was referring to were the bio-active peptides that have been discovered during research. Some of the most exciting bio-active peptides for researchers right now are phyllomedusin, phyllokinin, phyllocaerulin, sauvagine, bradykinin, dermorphin, and deltorphin.
Phyllomedusin and phyllokinin are potent vessel dilators, which increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier to allow access to the brain for the peptides to enter.
Phyllocaerulin and sauvagine have been shown to stimulate the adrenal cortex and the pituitary gland, which can heighten your senses.
And dermorphin and deltorphin have a pain relieving effect.
Kambo also contains many other peptides with incredible properties. There is also ongoing research to more fully understand Kambo, and it is not completely understood by the scientific community how Kambo does what it is able to do.
As a Kambo Practitioner, I have personally seen Kambo used as a tool for breaking through patterns that keep my clients stuck, such as fear of change. But as passionate as I am about Kambo, I would like to ask you to enter into this space with caution. Kambo is not meant for everyone. Make sure you work with a practitioner who is well-versed in who Kambo is not a good fit for. Physical health, pharmaceutical history, and mental state are all things to consider before working with a client. Entering into the Kambo space must be done from a place of trust. So thoroughly vet your practitioner and take the time to build a connection to ensure you are taken care of. This will better facilitate your purification journey.
Kambo is a wonderful tool in the transformation process. Is the frog calling you?
Resources
https://tribaldetox.org/what-is-kambo%3F https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7284396/ https://apahwellness.com/?page_id=778
