What is Kambo?

Kambo is from the Green Monkey Tree frog or Phyllomedusa Bicolor. Many tribes and indigenous groups like the Amahuace, Katukina, Kulina, Yawanawá, Matses, Marubo, Nukin and Mayoruna, have built a beautiful relationship with the frogs where they willingly give their secretions for us. We are often asked if the frogs are harmed in the gathering of the medicine and if they are at risk in any way.  We work with a Co-Op that does not over secrete the frogs. This means that even when they return willingly to give more medicine before the 2 to 3 month time frame has passed, they send them away. They know if they have already collected from the frog because of the method of collection using a little string that leaves a slight mark on their "wrists and ankles" until that 2-3 months pass.  Each Kambo stick includes the secretions of multiple frogs.

Our green friend has no predators other than deforestation. There is even a snake that is thought to know of the benefits of Kambo as it takes the frog into its mouth and spits it back out. The thought is that is does this to receive the medicine. The beauty of Kambo is that is works multidimensionally as there is a consciousness to this medicine like all other medicines given to us from Mother Earth.  It allows us to integrate ourselves back to a state of balance and receive insight into parts of our consciousness that are bleeding off energy creating a less than efficient pattern. Kambo is a beautiful ally in the healing process and the revealing of more layers to clear and be present with so that we can align outselves to become our greatest self, and that may just be accepting the greatness thats always been there. 

What do their Secretions do? 

Well simply put they make you purge. Yes, throw up. There is much more going on though than just throwing up! The health benefits are many! Read below for what the actual peptides do. 

Why do you purge? The specific peptides mentioned below induce the purge. After drinking  one and a half liters of water prior to the medicine being applied, you can feel the peptides working creating smooth muscle contractions in the abdomen and the desire to get all of the water out. Yet its not simply water that is purged,  as this is where we release emotions, energetics, and even memories that no longer serve us. 

One of my teachers said "what do you want to purge in the bucket?" And that was a great tool to stay aware of what was being cleared from the subconscious mind as it made its way into the conscious mind prior to the Kambo session, and even during, of what I wanted to intentionally let go of.  Use this question to gain insight into the recesses of your mind and clean bandwidth for a new level of clarity. 

The Peptides

As the peptides from the secretions enter our body, we begin to feel the effects from increased heart rate to well known frog face (a slight swelling that can happen in the face) heat and awareness in the body is felt. For example,  tingling in the hands could be an effect if you use your hands a lot. 

The peptides benefits include and are not limited to the following: 

Phylocaerulein- a neuropeptide which produces strong smooth muscle contractions (heart, gut, vascular) reduces blood pressure, modifies satiety, sedation and thermoregulation.  IT also acts as a potent analgesic.  This peptide is what induces the nausea, vomiting, palpitations, sweating and abdominal discomfort. 

Phyllokinin-this peptide creates a long lasting reduction in blood 

Phyllomedusin- this is a neuropeptide that strongly affects the salivary glads, tear ducts, intestines and bowels. As we powerful vasodilator, the gastric secretions are stimulated leading to the violent purging and defecation.  The fast dilation of the blood vessel can cause the 'rushing' or 'pounding' sensation that Kambo produces. 

Phyllolitorin, (Leu8) Pyllolitorin, Rohdei-Litorin - another family of neuropeptides that are active in the central and peripheral nevous system, they stimulate gastric acid secretion and smooth muscle contractions 

Dermorphin -a heptapeptide with a potent opiate-like affect. This can have potent depressive and analgesic effects.  Dermorphin may also have effects on pulmonary ventilation and pituitary hormone release and is 30-40 times more potent than morphine. 

There is another family of peptides the tryptophyllins that have an obscure biological activity yet have recently been found to be highly potent against Candida Albicans 

Dermaseptin is our peptide friend  that helps against bacteria, yeast, fungi, protozoa and enveloped visruses as well as various filamentous fungi that re responsible for severe opportunistic infections accompanying AIDS and the use of immunosuppressive agents. Within this same family there is is Adenoregulin (also called Dermaseptin B2) which is a 33 amino acid peptide that interacts with the adenosine receptor, a fundamental component in all human cell fuel and ahs shown effectiveness in killing cancer cells. 

Deltorphin is a heptapeptide which ahs a high affinity and selectivity for delta opioid binding sites than any other natural compound known. Two Deltorphins have been discovered in the secretion of Phyllomedusa Bicolor. 

All of this is an insight into some of the effects and each session is different depending on how many points of medicine is received, as well as placement and conscious connection to the healing you desire. That being said, each initial treatment is done in the traditional manner with the women receiving the medicine at their inner ankle and the men at their shoulder. 1 assessment point is done to check in with your response to the medicine and a typical first treatment it 3 points to 9 points. After your first session, we can move into other places whether that be a chakra treatment, a meridian treatment or an auricular (ear) treatment. 

We also recommended receiving 3 treatments ideally within a months time frame to truly work with the medicine. There is something that happens with the accumulation of the medicine in this way where the effects and benefits are long lasting.

Within this practice as in many throughout the world, there are varying degrees of information on who to receive the medicine from, if its ethical and so much more. I recently joined an online webinar class to see what information they had to share on Kambo and they were sadly misinforming many with a few factual tidbits sprinkled in, referring to Kambo as a psychedelic and the two people involved as the tripper and non tripper. Know that this is not the case. There is no tripping involved with this medicine. We also have a list of contraindications our training included first aid training and we practiced many hours observing in session what to do and how to read the medicines effects. My husband and I are passionate about sharing quality content and Truth around what we bring to the Kambo world and beyond. There are many great practitioners in the world. Whether I myself am your practitioner or not, find someone who has gone through a training that brings authentic understanding and has learned of what this medicine does in the body, and for the body and Spirit.  If we are not in your area, can check out www.kambointernational.com for a practitioner on your area.