What is Kambo? (Sapo)
Kambo is a traditional Amazonian cleansing ritual using the secretion of the frog Phyllomedusa bicolor. It is applied in a controlled and guided setting to support physical, emotional, and energetic release.
Indigenous tribes have used Kambo for generations as part of their healing and hunting preparation practices. Today, it is used worldwide in structured sessions focused on detoxification, clarity, and resilience.
Kambo works through bioactive peptides that interact with the body’s systems. During a session, this can lead to short-term physical reactions that are part of the cleansing process.
At the Awareness of Body & Soul Center, Kambo is offered in a safe, trauma-informed environment, often combined with breathwork and integration practices to support grounding and long-term benefits.
For a deeper understanding of mechanisms and research, see the Kambo Science section.
The Process
During a Kambo session, the secretion is mixed with water and applied to small points on the skin. These points are created through very superficial burns on the upper layer of the skin, allowing the substance to enter the lymphatic system.
Shortly after application, the body may respond with temporary physical reactions such as warmth, increased heart rate, or detoxification responses. These effects are part of the traditional cleansing process and vary from person to person. Often we add Rape as another medicine to deepen the process.
Sessions are always guided in a safe and controlled setting.
At the Awareness of Body & Soul Center, we hold a trauma-informed space, supporting you throughout the entire process.
After the session, many people report a sense of clarity, lightness, and emotional release. Integration practices such as breathwork, rest, and grounding are an essential part of the experience.
Mind
Proven benefits for anxiety and depressive disorders
Calms the mind and connects you to an energetic state of peace and interrelation
Teaches individual strength and resilience to overcome suffering
Body
Deeply cleanses embedded heavy metals, infections, and pharmaceutical toxins
Crosses the blood-brain barrier
Detoxifies and harmonizes the digestive, hormonal, nervous, reproductive, and lymphatic systems
Spirit
Aligns its unique intelligence with your spirit
Releases trauma and stagnant energies
Raises your vibration and guides you through transformation
Research & Potential Applications
Research into Kambo focuses on its bioactive peptides and their interaction with the human body. These compounds are being studied for their effects on the nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems.
Kambo is traditionally used as a cleansing and strengthening practice. Today, people seek it for support in areas such as:
Physical detoxification
Emotional release
Mental clarity
Stress resilience
Energy balance
While research is ongoing, Kambo is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure medical conditions. All sessions are offered as supportive, complementary practices in a guided setting.
Is Kambo Safe?
Kambo is a powerful traditional practice that should only be applied in a safe, controlled, and experienced setting.
When facilitated responsibly, sessions are designed to support the body’s natural responses while prioritizing your safety and well-being. Individual reactions vary and are carefully monitored throughout the process.
To ensure a safe and supportive experience, the following principles are essential:
Professional Guidance: Sessions are conducted with experience, care, and attention to your individual needs.
Pre-Session Consultation: A thorough consultation is required to assess your health history and ensure Kambo is appropriate for you.
Trust & Environment: A calm, grounded, and supportive space is essential for a positive experience.
Listening to the Body: Physical responses can occur and are supported throughout the session without pressure or force.
Full Transparency: It is important to disclose any medical conditions, medications, or relevant health information beforehand.
Kambo is not suitable for everyone. If you are unsure whether it is right for you, we recommend reaching out for a personal consultation.
Have There Been Fatalities Related to Kambo?
Kambo is a powerful traditional practice that must be approached with care, proper screening, and experienced facilitation.
There have been isolated reports of serious adverse events, typically associated with improper use, lack of screening, or unsafe conditions. This highlights the importance of working only with trained and responsible practitioners.
At the Awareness of Body & Soul Center, safety is a priority. Every session includes a thorough consultation, careful dosing, and continuous monitoring throughout the process.
Kambo is not suitable for everyone. Certain medical conditions, medications, or circumstances may increase risk, which is why honest disclosure and professional guidance are essential.
If you have any concerns, we encourage you to reach out before booking to ensure this work is appropriate for you.
Additional Resources
In case you find yourself in need of further support:
Anastasi & Erspamer:
Occurrence of Phyllomedusin, a Physalaemin-like Decapeptide, in the Skin of Phyllomedusa Bicolor
Lacombe et al:
Peptide Secretion in the Cutaneous Glands of South American Tree Frog Phyllomedusa Bicolor: an Ultrastructural Study
Mignogna et al:
Identification and Characterization of Two Dermorphins From Skin Extracts of the Amazonian Frog Phllomedusa Bicolor
Bioactive Peptides
Italian scientist Vittorio Erspamer from the University of Rome began examining Kambo secretions in the 1980s and isolated the peptides as follows:
Phyllokinin & Phyllomedusine
Vasodilators that increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (for their own use and that of other active peptides). They also have antimicrobial and antifungal properties.
Caeruleins & Sauvagines
They contract the large intestine and bladder, cause tachycardia and a drop in blood pressure, and enhance sensory perception by stimulating the adrenal cortex and pituitary gland. They increase physical strength and have the ability to overcome pain, stress, illness, and fatigue. They improve digestion and possess analgesic properties.
Dermorphin and Deltorphin
Composed of seven amino acids. These peptides are 4,000 times stronger than morphine and 40 times stronger than endogenous endorphins.
Adenoregulin
Acts through adenosine receptors, which are being studied in connection with depression, strokes, and cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Ceruleins
Accelerate gastric, bile, and pancreatic secretions and stimulate certain smooth muscles.
Rapé
A traditional snuff made from powdered tobacco and/or dried herbs and ashes from the rainforest.
More
Dermaseptin
Broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptides with lethal effects against fungal species (notably opportunistic filamentous fungi common in immunodeficiency syndromes), gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, yeasts, and protozoa. Dermaseptin B2 and B3 are being investigated for their cancer cell-killing effects (inhibiting angiogenesis of tumor cells with selective cytotoxicity).
Bradykinins
Similar to human bradykinin, these bradykinins are blood pressure-lowering, inducing vasodilation, contraction of non-vascular smooth muscle, and increased vascular permeability. They also appear to be effective in connection with inflammatory pain.
Bombesin
Acts on G cells in the stomach to secrete hydrochloric acid and stimulates pancreatic secretion, myoelectric intestinal activity, and smooth muscle contractility.
Tryptophyllins
Neuropeptides consisting of 4 to 14 amino acids.
Sananga
Sananga is a plant-based “medicine” made from the root of an Amazonian shrub, Tabernaemontana undulata.
More
Who Should Not Do Kambo?
Kambo is not suitable for everyone and requires careful screening before participation.
You should not participate in a Kambo session if you have:
Serious cardiovascular conditions
History of stroke, aneurysm, or severe neurological conditions
Certain gastrointestinal conditions affecting the esophagus or stomach
Severe liver disease or related complications
Pregnancy or early-stage breastfeeding
Epilepsy or seizure disorders
Severe mental health conditions (e.g. psychosis)
Current substance dependency or certain medications
Additional factors may also influence whether Kambo is appropriate for you.
For this reason, a thorough consultation is required before every session to assess your individual situation.
If you are unsure, please reach out before booking.