A number of people around the world have died after taking part in an ancient healing practice known as kambo, which involves ingesting frog poison.The spiritual ritual of kambo, which is promoted among Western “wellness communities” as a one‑stop cure for a spectrum of physical and mental ailments, from anxiety to arthritis, is not backed by any scientific evidence.In April this year, 40-year-old United Kingdom wellness coach and cancer survivor Kristian Trend was the latest to die after reportedly taking part in a “cleansing ceremony” which involved kambo, local media reported.Trend’s mother told the UK national newspaper, The Telegraph, that she wanted the practice to be banned. While it is legal to buy frog poison for kambo in the UK, it is not considered a licensed medicine.The practice has also been banned by other countries.What is kambo?Kambo is an ancient shamanic healing ritual with its roots in traditional South American medicine. It was practised by Amazonian Indigenous tribes centuries ago. The term “kambo” refers to the secretions of the giant monkey frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor), which are applied to small burns on the skin during the ritual.Experts say it is hard to pin down the exact origins of kambo since knowledge of the ritual was generally passed down orally, rather than bei …
