Kambô Science
Ingredients
Kambô has a unique, highly complex spectrum of peptides, including bioactive peptides and neuropeptides.
The Italian scientist and Nobel Prize candidate Vittorio Erspamer (he discovered serotonin) was the first scientist to analyze Kambô in a laboratory in 1985. He wrote that Kambô is "an impressive factory and store-house of a variety of active peptides" (V. Erspamer, et.al., Phyllomedusa skin: A huge factory and store-house of a variety of active peptides, Peptides, Volume 6, Supplement 3, 1985, Pages 7-12, ISSN 0196-9781).
What active ingredients does Kambô contain? - An overview
In 1993, Erspamer et al. were able to determine the following quantities of bioactive peptides per 1 g of Kambô by analyzing the Kambô skin secretion:
32 mg caerulein, 22 mg phyllomedusin,18 mg phyllokinin, 5.2 mg deltorphin, 3 mg sauvagin and 0.25-0.33 mg dermorphin.
To date, several ingredients have been analyzed, which are briefly listed below:
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Phyllocaerulein: produces contractions of the smooth muscles (not controllable by will); lowers blood pressure; acts as a strong analgesic (painkiller)
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Phyllomedusin: vasodilator and antihypertensive, analgesic properties; potential influence on the nervous system; increases permeability of the blood-brain barrier
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Phyllokinin: anti-inflammatory effect; influences blood pressure (hypotension); increases permeability of the blood-brain barrier
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Sauvagins: they can dock to the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) receptors in the brain, which may have effects on stress reduction and the endocrine system; possible role in the regulation of hormones
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Dermaseptins: they have the potential to be effective against a variety of bacteria, fungi and viruses
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Dermorphin: Strong analgesic peptide that has opioid-like effects. Dermorphin is thought to be around 30-40 times more potent than morphine
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Deltorphin: Another opioid-like peptide. It is considered to be much more potent than morphine, particularly in terms of its analgesic effects
How can the ingredients of Kambô work in the human body?
The activity spectra of the peptides mentioned above show that Kambô can influence the following factors in the human body:
Blood pressure lowering (phyllocaerolin, phyllomedusin, phyllokinin)
analgesic (phyllocaerolin, dermorphin, deltorphin)
anti-inflammatory (adenoregulin, phyllokinin)
regulating stress (Sauvagine)
