Connected to the spirit of the frog: An Internet-based survey on Kambo, the secretion of the Amazonian Giant Maki Frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor): Motivations for use, settings and subjective experiences

Background/aim: Kambo is a name for the secretion of the Giant Maki Frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor), which has been used by indigenous cultures from the Amazonas basin and has recently become popular in alternative healing circles in Western countries, with a certain overlap with psychedelic self-exploration. Methods: We carried out an online-based survey in English (54.92%) and German investigating motivations for using Kambo, settings in which rituals take place, and subjective experiences during and after the application. Results: Participants (n = 386, mean age: 38.08 years, (standard deviation = 9.95)) were well-educated individuals with an increased lifetime prevalence of the use of ayahuasca (67.88%). A plethora of motivations for using Kambo was reported, including general healing, detoxification and spiritual growth. Acute effects included severe physical reactions and mild psychoactive effects, most surprisingly, the feeling of being connected to the frog's spirit (41.97%), whereas predominantly positive persisting psychological effects were reported. Few participants reported long-lasting physical (2.85%) or mental (1.81%) health problems which they attributed to Kambo. Of the participants, 87.31% reported an increase in personal well-being or life satisfaction, and 64.26% considered Kambo to have been at least of 'very much' spiritual significance for their lives. Conclusions: The majority of users claimed beneficial effects including more health-orientated behaviors, whereas only very few participants complained about new health problems which they ascribed to Kambo. In retrospect, Kambo was given a high personal and spiritual significance by many participants. Additional research is needed to determine in how far reported effects are modulated by setting and subjective expectations.

Automated summary

The survey found that participants who use Kambo are mainly well-educated individuals with various motivations, including healing, detoxification, and spiritual growth. Acute effects of using Kambo include physical reactions and mild psychoactive effects, with some participants reporting feeling connected to the frog's spirit. The majority of users claimed beneficial effects from Kambo and considered it to have high personal and spiritual significance.