KAMBO
Kambo is not a “psychedelic” — it works through biology, though it is often said be a spiritual experience. The secretion of Phyllomedusa bicolor contains a unique cocktail of bio‑active peptides: short chains of amino acids that act like messaging molecules in the body. Once applied to small “gates” on the skin, these peptides travel via the lymphatic and circulatory systems and bind to receptor sites throughout the body.
The result is a full‑body response: the gut may contract (shifts in the autonomic nervous system and peptides causing smooth muscle contraction trigger a purge), circulation may shift, the nervous system may recalibrate, and immune or antimicrobial activity may be stimulated. Pain pathways may be modulated, the body may detoxify, and energetic or nervous‑system balance can be restored. Traditionally, various tribes have used it to increase strength and stamina for hunting, as well as to ward off "panema" - meaning bad luck or negative energy. This ancient tribal technique of applying Kambo are the only way known to science to distribute Kambo's peptides without denaturing or destroying their functional form.
Some of the key peptides identified in Kambo:
- Phyllomedusin & Phyllokinin
Potent vasodilators that expand blood vessels, increase circulation, and stimulate the smooth muscles of the stomach and intestines. These peptides help initiate sweating, flushing, and digestive movement—part of why Kambo is known as a deep physical "cleanse". - Phyllocaerulein & Sauvagine
Support digestive secretions, stimulate the adrenal glands, and increase stamina and alertness. Many people report mental clarity and physical resilience following a session due to this natural endocrine activation. - Dermorphin & Deltorphin
Naturally occurring opioid-type peptides that interact with pain and mood pathways, reducing pain perception, calming the nervous system, and decrease stress-related inflammation. Though non-psychoactive, they can contribute to a sense of calm, relief, and reset after the peak of the Kambo experience. - Adenoregulin & Dermaseptins
Antimicrobial and immunomodulatory peptides that support immune response and have been studied for their broad protective properties. They strengthen natural immune defenses, reduce microbial load, regulate inflammatory responses, and promote a sense of lightness, clarity, and vitality.
As a Tribal Detox certified practitioner, we source our medicine directly from the Cocama People of the Peruvian Amazon, who are guardians of a protected region of rainforest. The frogs are revered and are respectfully cared for, and the secretion is gathered gently from a small area of their back in a sustainable, non-harmful manner. My teacher, Jason Fellows (pictured) has gone into the jungle and helped to gather Kambo himself.
Sustainability and Ethics
- Five kambo "gates" after kambo ceremony, treated with a wound-sealing sap called sangre de grado or "dragons blood"
- Phyllomedusa bicolor frog
What is Kambo?
Jason recounts the process as so: At night, they travel into the forest and sing the song of the frog (similar to a duck call). The frogs, who are up in the canopy of the trees, sing back. Someone climbs the tree, and cuts off the smallest branch they can in order to carry the frog down without harming them. The frogs are carried back to the village on the tree branch. To collect the medicine, each of the frog's limbs is gently tied to secure it, and the frog's nose is tickled with a blade of grass until they release their protective secretion.
Since the secretion is the frog's protection against fungi and bacteria (they don't have any natural predators), the villagers leave most of it on so it is protected for the time it takes it regenerate what was taken. A small colored string is tied around it's leg so they know it has already been recently collected from and not to collect from it again. After the secretion is gathered, the frogs are brought back into the forest.
While the population of Kambo frogs is not endangered, there are global concerns regarding overharvesting, unethical treatment of frogs, and Indigenous communities losing access to their own medicines due to increasing worldwide demand. For this reason, it is essential to know where your Kambo comes from and to ensure it is sourced in a way that honors both the frogs and the people who have stewarded this medicine for generations.