Kambo's secretion contains a rich assortment of peptides and alkaloids, unveiling a captivating world of biological intricacies underlying its remarkable effects.

Peptides and Their Significance:

Peptides, short chains of amino acids found in Kambo, serve as essential chemical messengers in the body, activating specific cell receptors to orchestrate vital functions within the brain and body. Their unique ability to cross the blood-brain barrier allows them to work deeply within the body, offering support to areas that are often challenging to treat. Unlike pharmaceutical medications, which can sometimes force changes in the body and lead to side effects, peptides work in harmony with the body's natural systems, akin to keys fitting perfectly into locks within our intricate biochemical systems.

**Vittorio Erspamer's Pioneering Research:**

Vittorio Erspamer, an Italian scientist affiliated with the University of Rome, dedicated over 60 years to pioneering laboratory analysis of Kambo peptides. He reported that Kambo secretion contains “a fantastic chemical cocktail with potential medical applications.”

His groundbreaking work earned him two Nobel Prize nominations and solidified his position as a trailblazer in neuroscience. Notably, he is renowned for his discovery of the widely recognized neurotransmitter, serotonin. Erspamer's lifelong dedication to investigating peptides derived from amphibians like Kambo adds significant scientific weight to Kambo's credibility within the scientific community. Impressively, there are over 70 patents filed in the USA for the peptides found in Kambo, reflecting substantial scientific and commercial interest in these compounds.

Major Kambo Peptides:

Erspamer's research yielded the isolation, identification, synthesis, and pharmacological study of more than sixty new chemical compounds found in Kambo. Among these, several major peptides stand out:

Phyllocaerulein: Known for its potential analgesic (pain-relieving) properties.

Phyllomedusin: Recognized for its ability to stimulate the nervous system, potentially leading to effects like increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Phyllokinnin: Associated with vasodilation, which involves the relaxation and widening of blood vessels, ultimately leading to increased blood flow.

These peptides, along with others found in Kambo, play crucial roles in its physiological effects.

Pharmacology:

The pharmacological properties of Kambo's peptides are diverse and significant:

Phyllocaerulein: This hypotensive neuropeptide stimulates the adrenal cortex and pituitary gland, contributing to Kambo's analgesic and satiety effects.

Phyllomedusin and Phyllokinin: Phyllomedusin interacts with tachykinin receptors, regulating neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Phyllokinin targets bradykinin receptors, with Phyllomedusin contracting smooth muscles and Phyllokinin relaxing them. Both are potent vasodilators, enhancing the permeability of the blood-brain barrier.

Sauvagine: Functioning like a hormone, Sauvagine interacts with the pituitary-adrenal axis and corticotropin-releasing receptors, affecting stress, anxiety, depression, and addictive behavior.

Adenoregulin: This peptide stimulates the binding of agonists to A1 adenosine receptors.

Deltorphins and Dermorphin: These peptides are potent opioid receptor agonists, with Deltorphins having high binding affinity and selectivity to delta opioid receptors and Dermorphin being highly selective for mu opioid receptors. They are many times more potent than endogenous beta-endorphin.

Therapeutic Use:

Kambo holds exciting potential for various therapeutic applications:

Cancer Treatment: Dermaseptin B2 found in Kambo inhibits cancer cell growth by over 90%, particularly in human prostatic adenocarcinoma, using a mechanism of necrosis.

Antibiotic Properties: Dermaseptins, including adenoregulin, are potent antibiotics effective against parasitic microorganisms while being non-toxic to mammalian cells. Their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier makes them promising for conditions like Cryptococcal meningitis.

Treatment for Neurological Conditions: Adenoregulin's influence on adenosine receptors may aid in developing treatments for Alzheimer's disease, depression, and strokes.

Mental Health and Addiction: Anecdotal evidence suggests Kambo's potential in treating depression, anxiety, and addiction.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Some individuals report complete relief from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) symptoms with regular use of Kambo.

Pain Management: Deltorphins and Dermorphin in Kambo offer analgesic effects comparable to the body's natural pain response with greater potency than morphine and fewer side effects.

CHECK OUT THE LINKS BELOW FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON KAMBO

Review of the physiological effects of Phyllomedusa bicolor skin secretion peptides on humans receiving Kambô

Kambo and its Multitude of Biological Effects: Adverse Events or Pharmacological Effects

Rediscovery of old drugs: the forgotten case of dermorphin for postoperative pain and palliation

Frog secretions and hunting magic in the upper Amazon: identification of a peptide that interacts with an adenosine receptor.