Background: Kambo is the name of a secretion of a tropical frog, the Phyllomedusa bicolor or giant leaf frog from the Amazonian forest, which has been used for centuries by local tribes to enhance their hunter skills. Its first tribal use was described in 1925, and included the first effects after administration of the secretion: nausea and vomiting. Since the end of last century Kambo is introduced in Europe and the USA as a 'healing' intervention to cleanse the bodily systems, it is regarded as a 'detox' intervention. Method:We reviewed all available literature related to adverse events and pharmacological effects of the active peptides in Kambo. Result:The secretion of the frog consists a number of bioactive peptides and within few minutes after intake, nausea, vomiting, facial edema, palpitations and hypotension can occur. In the pharmacological and medical literature, these are reported as transient adverse events, although in essence the reactions are purely pharmacological.We will present and discuss its adverse events, the pharmacological basis of these events and present contraindications and recommendations for safe use.
The impact of priests and their institutions is vanishing in our culture. This depletes the society from religious experiences. However, many are looking into new ways of experiencing the essence of life. One of the new sources inspiring people to reconnect with themselves and with nature can be found in shamanism. Since some decades now rituals from the Amazon based on herbal products such as Ayahuascaare increasingly seen in Europe and the United States. Recently, people started to experiment with Kambô, a skin secretion from an Amazonian giant leaf frog, containing a number of neuroactive and vasoactive peptides, such as phyllocaerulein, phyllokinin, sauvagine, adenoregulin, deltorphins, and dermorphin. From a pharmacological and medical perspective, the Kambôritual is based on voluntary inducing a mostly relative brief period of intoxication, from a shamanistic perspective it is about a medicine which brings healing and classically prepares tribe members for more efficient hunting. There are even reports from patients claiming to be cured of cancer. We will present both some medical as well as shamanic and transpersonal perspectives related to this ritual, discuss adverse events, interactions and contra-indications and add some recommendations for its use.
Topical analgesic formulations are gaining interest for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain since the beginning of 2000. Advantages of topical analgesics over oral medication are the absence of systemic side effects and drug-drug interactions, higher concentrations of active compound at the pain area, fast onset on action, improvement of compliance, and no risk of abuse. In many peripheral neuropathic pain states the pain area is small and thus topical analgesics are suitable. Most patients experience pain reducing effect within 30 minutes after application of compounded topical analgesics, such as creams containing amitriptyline, ketamine, baclofen, or clonidine. This helps to quickly identify responders on selected analgesic creams.
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