ABOUT KAMBO
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Kambo is a powerful traditional medicine from the Amazon, used by Indigenous tribes for centuries to cleanse the body, strengthen the mind, and clear heavy energy. Today, Kambo is finding its place in the West as a healing treatment for conditions that conventional medicine often struggles to resolve—such as depression, anxiety, trauma, chronic fatigue and emotional disconnection. Rooted in ancient wisdom and now applied through modern, trauma-informed practices, Kambo offers a unique path to healing where other approaches may fall short.
Kambo is the secretion of the Phyllomedusa bicolor frog, found in the Amazon rainforest. This sacred medicine has been used traditionally by tribes such as the Matsés and Katukina to cleanse the body, boost stamina and sharpen the senses before hunting. In the modern world, it is respected for its powerful detoxifying, immune-boosting, and emotionally clearing effects.
Kambo contains a rich cocktail of bioactive peptides that work with the lymphatic system to purge toxins from the body and bring the nervous system back into balance. This process is deeply physical and can also open space for emotional release and spiritual clarity.
Kambo is not psychedelic. It does not create visions or altered states, but instead works with the body to release what no longer serves—physically, emotionally and energetically.
How Does It Work?
Kambo is applied to the skin through small, superficial burns. Once absorbed, the peptides enter the lymphatic system and begin their work quickly. A typical session includes a short but intense purging process, followed by a sense of clarity, emotional lightness and physical renewal.
Clients report a wide range of benefits, including:
Reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD
Increased energy and focus
Relief from chronic pain and fatigue
Emotional detox and deep clarity
Why Do People Come to Kambo?
Many people are drawn to Kambo when other treatments haven’t worked. Some seek a fresh start, others want to go deeper after years of personal development.
Common reasons include:
Trauma healing and nervous system reset
Detoxification from medications or substances
Energetic clearing after periods of grief, loss or stagnation
Physical inflammation, fatigue, skin conditions and gut issues
Fertility and hormonal support
Is It Safe?
When administered by a professionally trained practitioner in a supportive setting, Kambo is a safe and legal therapy. At The Kambo Clinic, all sessions are led by qualified practitioners with experience in trauma-informed care, mental health support and emergency protocols.
We take time to prepare each client before their session and provide aftercare guidance for safe and lasting integration.
Kambo is not suitable for everyone. Certain health conditions and medications may be contraindicated. A full consultation is required before your first session.
You can view a full list of Kambo benefits, precautions and contraindications at the links below:
🔗 Kambo Benefits and What It Treats
🔗 Kambo Precautions & Contraindications
The Kambo Frog
Kambo is a secretion from one of the largest Hylid frogs, known as the Giant Green Monkey Tree Frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor). The secretion is not sweat or poison—it does not cause illness or death when used properly. In the Amazon, it is viewed as a medicine, although this differs from the Western medical definition.
These frogs are nocturnal and arboreal, found in abundance across the Upper Amazon regions of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, French Guiana, Suriname and Venezuela. They are listed as 'Least Concern' by the IUCN due to their large population and wide distribution. Threats include spawn predation and habitat destruction.
Males grow to 9–10 cm and females to 11–12 cm. Their dorsum is vibrant green with a creamy white belly, and dark spots on the chest, flanks and legs. They reproduce year-round, peaking between November and May. They create hanging nests above water where eggs hatch into tadpoles in 11–14 days.
It is believed that the secretion is produced through compounds in their diet, which is why frogs removed from their natural habitat may not produce it.
The Origins of Kambo
Each tribe has its own legend of how Kambo was discovered. The most well-known comes from the Kaxinawá people in Brazil:
When the tribe faced serious illness, their Pajé (medicine man) tried every known plant medicine, but nothing worked. During a sacred ceremony, he entered the forest and was visited by a female forest spirit who gave him a frog and showed him how to use its secretion. He followed her guidance, and the tribe was healed. From then on, he became known as Pajé Kampu.
After his death, his spirit was believed to live on in the frog. The secretion became known as Kambo, and in other tribes is called Sapo, Dow-Kiet, Kampu or Vacina da Floresta.
Kambo use spread among Indigenous peoples such as the Amahuaca, Katukina, Kulina, Yawanawá, Matsés, Marubo and Mayoruna—and continues to this day.
Western documentation of Kambo began in 1925 by French priest Father Constantin Tastevin. In the 1980s, anthropologist Katherine Milton and journalist Peter Gorman wrote about its use among Amazonian tribes. In the 1990s, rubber tappers brought Kambo out of the forest, sharing it across Brazil.
In 2004, Brazil’s health agency (ANVISA) prohibited advertising Kambo's therapeutic benefits, following a request from the Katukina people to protect their intellectual property.
Kambo is legal globally, except where restricted by local drug policies.
Kambo Science
Italian scientist Vittorio Erspamer was the first to analyse Kambo in 1986. He described it as "a fantastic chemical cocktail with potential medical applications, unequalled by any other amphibian." He discovered multiple peptides with therapeutic potential—many now patented.
Positive findings include:
Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties
Opioid receptor activation for natural pain relief
Peptides that support immune, digestive and neurological function
Ongoing research shows promising links between Kambo and improvements in cognitive function, emotional resilience, and physical recovery. Over 70 patents are registered worldwide.
Practitioners now work with Kambo in traditional ways and through systems like meridian points, chakras, nadis, marma points and auricular therapy, making it more accessible and adaptable for modern clients.
The IAKP
The Kambo Clinic’s founder, Claire Anstey, is a trained IAKP practitioner. All practitioners at the clinic are IAKP-trained or equivalent, upholding a high standard of care and ethics.
The International Association of Kambo Practitioners (IAKP) is a not-for-profit organisation supporting the safe, responsible, and professional use of Kambo through training, research, education and community outreach.
They are committed to sustainability and honouring the Indigenous communities who have protected and shared Kambo. The IAKP helps fund healthcare, education, and ecological projects in the Amazon, including the Matsés tribe of Peru.
Founded in 2014, the IAKP is now a registered foundation in the Netherlands. Practitioners are encouraged to donate a portion of income to causes that support the tribes.
Would you like to experience Kambo with us?