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- May 1, 2024
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"Frog poison dealer: It's a powerful medicine – but you might die
Alternative healer sells unregulated Kambo online, acknowledging users risk being killed if they fail to follow correct procedures
Jacek Gmyrek, a Polish national, sells Kambo on his 'shamanic' website from a house in Yorkshire
An alternative healer has admitted that the Kambo detox drug he sells can be fatal if not taken "properly".
The healer said care needed to be taken when using the drug, which is made from the skin secretions of a poisonous Amazonian tree frog and has killed several people – including at least one in Britain.
Describing the Kambo cleaning sessions he promotes as "an intense but transformative experience", Jacek Gmyrek said it "helps clear out built-up waste, leaving you feeling lighter and more energised".
But when confronted by The Telegraph, Mr Gmyrek conceded there was a risk that users "might die" if they failed to follow the correct procedures.
His admission came after The Telegraph was able to establish just how easily the unregulated drug can be bought in the UK, despite claiming the lives of several users.
Self-appointed "shamans" and unqualified practitioners are selling Kambo without checking the age or health of users in this country, just months after it claimed its first known British victim.
The Telegraph managed to obtain several doses of the drug, which produces violent vomiting and sweating to "cleanse" the body, from mail-order sellers based in the UK.
At no stage were The Telegraph's reporters asked to verify their ages, raising fears that children could get their hands on the drug with no safeguards on its use.
The Kambo detox drug is made from the secretions of the poisonous giant leaf frog.
The revelations come before an inquest later this year into the death of Kristian Trend, a cancer survivor and lifestyle coach, who collapsed and died during a Kambo cleansing ceremony in Leicester in April.
Mr Trend, 40, is thought to be the first known British victim of the drug, which is traditionally used in "purging" and fertility ceremonies in South America.
The treatment is banned from sale in several countries, including Brazil and Chile, but can be bought legally in the UK.
Its popularity is growing across Europe, where it is sold as a well-being aid that offers "a life-changing experience".
Kristian Trend, a lifestyle coach, collapsed and died during a Kambo cleansing ceremony in Leicester in April
Kristian Trend collapsed and died during a Kambo cleansing ceremony in Leicester in April
Shortly after Mr Trend's death, a 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of administering poison and has since been released on bail.
Kambo, sometimes known as Sapo, is not a licensed medicine in the UK and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) does not regulate those who administer it as a treatment.
Health professionals have warned users of the fashionable "detox" treatment to steer clear of self-appointed "shamans" peddling the potentially deadly therapy.
Ban frog poison detox drug, say medical experts
It took Telegraph reporters less than five minutes to find two UK-based companies openly selling the drug on their "shamanic" websites.
Mr Gmyrek, a Polish national, runs one such site, called Janguru after the Indian term for shaman, from his anonymous semi-detached home in the Yorkshire town of Castleford, near Leeds.
A reporter was able to buy a single 14cm-by-2cm wooden stick coated in the dried frog poison direct from Mr Gmyrek for £40, including £3 for shipping.
His Janguru website asks users on entry to tick a box to confirm they are over 18. However, no age verification or proof of ID is required on checkout.
A wooden stick coated in the dried frog poison can be bought direct from Mr Gmyrek's website for £40
The web page carries two five-star reviews from customers, one of whom praised the "incredible and powerful" sensations of Kambo coursing through their bloodstream.
Mr Gmyrek gives a number of health warnings on Janguru, advising customers that Kambo is "not for everyone". He adds: "If you have heart issues, high blood pressure, or certain medical conditions, it's crucial to consult first with a ceremony master/professional. Always make sure you are in right place with right person for a safe and positive experience."
But Mr Gmyrek also makes a number of unverified medical claims that the drug helps users quit addiction and can help the body's immune system.
He states: "Physical detox: Kambo flushes out toxins from the liver, lymphatic system, and gut to the point that may be helpful with quitting addictions (I'm one of the examples). The purge it induces (yes, you might throw up or experience diarrhoea) helps clear out built-up waste, leaving you feeling lighter and more energised.
"Recovery of immune system: Peptides in Kambo – like dermorphin and deltorphin – give your immune system a serious boost, helping your body fight infections and inflammation more effectively.
"A Kambo ceremony is an intense but transformative experience. A trained practitioner applies the secretion to small burns on your skin, and within minutes, you may feel your heart racing, heat rising, and nausea kicking in. You'll likely purge – either by vomiting or through your digestive system."
The Kambo secretion is applied to the skin
A week after we submitted an order a small Royal Mail parcel with a neat handwritten address on the front was posted through the front door of a reporter's home.
Inside the parcel was an A6 piece of paper, its ends crudely sealed with adhesive tape, containing the poison stick.
The Telegraph was rewarded with 40 "loyalty points" to redeem for other products from the website including rapeh, a medicinal snuff grown in the Amazon which is blown into the nostril of the user with a ceremonial pipe.
Sticks of Kambo frog poison purchased online by a Telegraph reporter
Mr Gmyrek defended his sale of Kambo, saying he always tried to ensure that his customers were fully informed adults with no pre-existing conditions who knew what they were doing by using the drug.
He admitted however that he did not know all his customers personally and that any teenager or even a child could pretend to be aged 18 or over when ordering his product.
Speaking at his home, heavily decorated with trinkets and images from indigenous people in South America and South Asia, Mr Gmyrek said: "I only sell it to people who have used it before or people within the community. I try and do my research on the people that buy it from me to make sure."
He admitted: "People take it without preparation and that could be dangerous. You should not take it with alcohol or medication. If you do that's your fault.
"If you drink lots of water and don't eat anything for 12 hours before and are well rested you will be fine. You should only take it with someone else there.
"If you don't follow these rules [there's a risk] you might die. Of course there's a risk. All I can do is make sure people follow those rules. All I can do is try to make sure I sell it to the right adult because I don't want people to die."
Mr Gmyrek defended his sale of Kambo, saying he always tried to ensure that his customers were fully informed adults who had no pre-existing conditions
Mr Gmyrek added: "I used to have age verification but there was a malfunction. And anyway the kids can do many things to get around verification and bypass it.
"I know it's a powerful medicine not right for every person. I may stop selling it for a bit because I don't want to be part of any accidents. I'm very sorry to hear that someone died from it."
But Mr Gmyrek defended the sale and use of Kambo for its benefits.
"You get hot and sweaty and vomit, but it's a very spiritual experience. It's a sacred medicine for the Amazonian jungle tribes and we have to come to it with humility. It's not beer or vodka. It goes back to nature. These people have been using it for generations, using what Mother Nature gives us.
"I have taken it and it helped me greatly with my addiction to cannabis and with depression. I know many people that took it and it helped them as well.
"Big pharma don't like it [Kambo]. But people take antidepressants for too long and struggle. Or they take too much alcohol."
The Telegraph also approached a second company called Shnuff, an online "shaman" store founded and run by Matthew Bevan, a 52-year-old former hypnotherapist and tea importer living in Devizes, Wiltshire.
Our reporter was able to buy a £60 stick of Kambo after contacting Mr Bevan directly, even though his website stated it was out of stock.
Below The Telegraph has reproduced a text exchange between a reporter and Mr Bevan.
At 14:52 a reporter messaged Mr Bevan stating: "I just wanted to ask if you had any of the £60 Kambo sticks available for delivery in London. I saw it said 'sold out' so was not sure if these are still available? Thanks."
At 17:27, just two and a half hours later, Mr Bevan replied: "I should do... just arriving back from holiday will check stock in case people have been busy lol xx"
The Telegraph: "OK thanks very much, really do appreciate it."
Mr Bevan: "OK I've just checked it looks like there's been a little flurry in the last couple of days so it is out of stock. But what I will do when I packed all these orders I'm going to have a look and see when the next delivery is come it's already on its way i will let you know asap."
21:07: "6 available... just added to the shop stock."
Mr Bevan markets his online Kambo sticks as "ethnographic specimens" that are sold solely for "reflecting the living cultural heritage of the Matsés people".
The Matsés people are the indigenous population of the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon and from whom Mr Bevan claims to source the Kambo sticks "directly and ethically".
Matthew Bevan sells Kambo sticks for £60 each from his online shaman store
A written warning on the website advises buyers that they are not "for human consumption or application".
It states: "These sticks are sold strictly as ethnographic specimens reflecting the living cultural heritage of the Matsés people. They are offered for historical, scientific and ethnographic reference only. Not for human consumption or application.
"Kambo is a powerful biological substance and its ceremonial use carries serious risks – documented adverse events in the medical literature include severe physiological reactions. Its sale is banned in Brazil and restricted in other jurisdictions. Customers are solely responsible for verifying the legal status of this product in their own country before purchase."
However, the warning appears to have been happily ignored by the 42 reviewers who have left five-star reviews of the poison.
Deadly 'frog poison' drug adverts fuel cash boom for Facebook and Instagram
One self-admitted Kambo practitioner wrote: "I did a self application yesterday and was very happy with the result. It was nice and strong. The effects came on quickly and I had an extremely deep purge. I will definitely be ordering from here again."
Another user, who describes himself as a "90kg muscular guy", says: "Delivered without delays or problems to Slovakia, stuff worked great, really strong medicine – I was vomiting with only five dots on my arm."
Similarly to Janguru, beyond a tick box to confirm that the user is above the age of 18, there are no further checks needed for purchasing Kambo from Mr Bevan.
Within a week the parcel of potentially deadly tree-frog poison had been delivered to the home of a Telegraph reporter.
At Mr Bevan's home in Devizes a sign on his front door declares: "Hippies Use Backdoor – No Exceptions".
Mr Bevan refused to answer questions about his sale of Kambo, saying he would not engage with The Telegraph.
Home Office officials told The Telegraph that they worked closely with health authorities and law enforcement bodies to monitor substances that pose a risk to public health and urged anyone with concerns about the safety or legality of a substance to contact the relevant authorities.
Academics have examined 14 documented poisoning cases that led to severe symptoms and, in some cases, death.
These include that of a 33-year-old woman in the US who developed psychosis after frequent Kambo rituals and that of 39-year-old Natasha Lechner, who died at her home in Mullumbimby, New South Wales, Australia, after suffering a cardiac arrest following a suspected Kambo ceremony in 2019.
Natasha Lechner died at her home in Mullumbimby, New South Wales, Australia, after suffering a cardiac arrest following a suspected Kambo ceremony in 2019
Other victims of the drug include Jarred Antonovich, 46, who died from a perforated oesophagus, suspected to be caused by excessive vomiting after being administered Kambo at the Dreaming Arts Festival at Collins Creek near Kyogle, also in New South Wales, and Marcela Alcázar Rodríguez, a 33-year-old actress, who died after ingesting Kambo during a cleansing ceremony in Mexico in 2024.
A group of Italian and Greek specialists in toxicology and forensic medicine which examined the deaths have urged governments and health authorities to treat the drug Kambo as a prohibited substance, and warned it would lead to more fatalities.
The authors, from the department of medical and surgical sciences at Magna Græcia University of Catanzaro and the department of forensic medicine and toxicology at the University of Athens, reported that after a series of deaths, the sale and marketing of Kambo was banned in Brazil in 2016, with the Australian authorities classifying the drug as a poison in 2021.
They went on to warn that "elsewhere in the world, however, Kambo remains largely unknown, and many institutions do not yet recognise it as a poison".
The academics added: "This lack of awareness presents a major medicolegal challenge, especially as traditional therapies are adopted in the West. The route of administration and failure to adhere to standard practices can lead to fatalities."
Amazon healthcare delves deep into the jungle's 'medicine cabinet'
The paper, published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science, states: "With the spread of this practice through media globalisation and the internet, the number of cases and consumers is likely to increase.
"Therefore, policymakers in various countries should take measures to prevent the spread of this dangerous substance worldwide."
The authors concluded: "Public health policies must address the unregulated sale and use of Kambo, especially through online channels, to prevent misuse and minimise harm.""
Alternative healer sells unregulated Kambo online, acknowledging users risk being killed if they fail to follow correct procedures
Jacek Gmyrek, a Polish national, sells Kambo on his 'shamanic' website from a house in Yorkshire
An alternative healer has admitted that the Kambo detox drug he sells can be fatal if not taken "properly".
The healer said care needed to be taken when using the drug, which is made from the skin secretions of a poisonous Amazonian tree frog and has killed several people – including at least one in Britain.
Describing the Kambo cleaning sessions he promotes as "an intense but transformative experience", Jacek Gmyrek said it "helps clear out built-up waste, leaving you feeling lighter and more energised".
But when confronted by The Telegraph, Mr Gmyrek conceded there was a risk that users "might die" if they failed to follow the correct procedures.
His admission came after The Telegraph was able to establish just how easily the unregulated drug can be bought in the UK, despite claiming the lives of several users.
Self-appointed "shamans" and unqualified practitioners are selling Kambo without checking the age or health of users in this country, just months after it claimed its first known British victim.
The Telegraph managed to obtain several doses of the drug, which produces violent vomiting and sweating to "cleanse" the body, from mail-order sellers based in the UK.
At no stage were The Telegraph's reporters asked to verify their ages, raising fears that children could get their hands on the drug with no safeguards on its use.
The Kambo detox drug is made from the secretions of the poisonous giant leaf frog.
The revelations come before an inquest later this year into the death of Kristian Trend, a cancer survivor and lifestyle coach, who collapsed and died during a Kambo cleansing ceremony in Leicester in April.
Mr Trend, 40, is thought to be the first known British victim of the drug, which is traditionally used in "purging" and fertility ceremonies in South America.
The treatment is banned from sale in several countries, including Brazil and Chile, but can be bought legally in the UK.
Its popularity is growing across Europe, where it is sold as a well-being aid that offers "a life-changing experience".
Kristian Trend, a lifestyle coach, collapsed and died during a Kambo cleansing ceremony in Leicester in April
Kristian Trend collapsed and died during a Kambo cleansing ceremony in Leicester in April
Shortly after Mr Trend's death, a 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of administering poison and has since been released on bail.
Kambo, sometimes known as Sapo, is not a licensed medicine in the UK and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) does not regulate those who administer it as a treatment.
Health professionals have warned users of the fashionable "detox" treatment to steer clear of self-appointed "shamans" peddling the potentially deadly therapy.
Ban frog poison detox drug, say medical experts
It took Telegraph reporters less than five minutes to find two UK-based companies openly selling the drug on their "shamanic" websites.
Mr Gmyrek, a Polish national, runs one such site, called Janguru after the Indian term for shaman, from his anonymous semi-detached home in the Yorkshire town of Castleford, near Leeds.
A reporter was able to buy a single 14cm-by-2cm wooden stick coated in the dried frog poison direct from Mr Gmyrek for £40, including £3 for shipping.
His Janguru website asks users on entry to tick a box to confirm they are over 18. However, no age verification or proof of ID is required on checkout.
A wooden stick coated in the dried frog poison can be bought direct from Mr Gmyrek's website for £40
The web page carries two five-star reviews from customers, one of whom praised the "incredible and powerful" sensations of Kambo coursing through their bloodstream.
Mr Gmyrek gives a number of health warnings on Janguru, advising customers that Kambo is "not for everyone". He adds: "If you have heart issues, high blood pressure, or certain medical conditions, it's crucial to consult first with a ceremony master/professional. Always make sure you are in right place with right person for a safe and positive experience."
But Mr Gmyrek also makes a number of unverified medical claims that the drug helps users quit addiction and can help the body's immune system.
He states: "Physical detox: Kambo flushes out toxins from the liver, lymphatic system, and gut to the point that may be helpful with quitting addictions (I'm one of the examples). The purge it induces (yes, you might throw up or experience diarrhoea) helps clear out built-up waste, leaving you feeling lighter and more energised.
"Recovery of immune system: Peptides in Kambo – like dermorphin and deltorphin – give your immune system a serious boost, helping your body fight infections and inflammation more effectively.
"A Kambo ceremony is an intense but transformative experience. A trained practitioner applies the secretion to small burns on your skin, and within minutes, you may feel your heart racing, heat rising, and nausea kicking in. You'll likely purge – either by vomiting or through your digestive system."
The Kambo secretion is applied to the skin
A week after we submitted an order a small Royal Mail parcel with a neat handwritten address on the front was posted through the front door of a reporter's home.
Inside the parcel was an A6 piece of paper, its ends crudely sealed with adhesive tape, containing the poison stick.
The Telegraph was rewarded with 40 "loyalty points" to redeem for other products from the website including rapeh, a medicinal snuff grown in the Amazon which is blown into the nostril of the user with a ceremonial pipe.
Sticks of Kambo frog poison purchased online by a Telegraph reporter
Mr Gmyrek defended his sale of Kambo, saying he always tried to ensure that his customers were fully informed adults with no pre-existing conditions who knew what they were doing by using the drug.
He admitted however that he did not know all his customers personally and that any teenager or even a child could pretend to be aged 18 or over when ordering his product.
Speaking at his home, heavily decorated with trinkets and images from indigenous people in South America and South Asia, Mr Gmyrek said: "I only sell it to people who have used it before or people within the community. I try and do my research on the people that buy it from me to make sure."
He admitted: "People take it without preparation and that could be dangerous. You should not take it with alcohol or medication. If you do that's your fault.
"If you drink lots of water and don't eat anything for 12 hours before and are well rested you will be fine. You should only take it with someone else there.
"If you don't follow these rules [there's a risk] you might die. Of course there's a risk. All I can do is make sure people follow those rules. All I can do is try to make sure I sell it to the right adult because I don't want people to die."
Mr Gmyrek defended his sale of Kambo, saying he always tried to ensure that his customers were fully informed adults who had no pre-existing conditions
Mr Gmyrek added: "I used to have age verification but there was a malfunction. And anyway the kids can do many things to get around verification and bypass it.
"I know it's a powerful medicine not right for every person. I may stop selling it for a bit because I don't want to be part of any accidents. I'm very sorry to hear that someone died from it."
But Mr Gmyrek defended the sale and use of Kambo for its benefits.
"You get hot and sweaty and vomit, but it's a very spiritual experience. It's a sacred medicine for the Amazonian jungle tribes and we have to come to it with humility. It's not beer or vodka. It goes back to nature. These people have been using it for generations, using what Mother Nature gives us.
"I have taken it and it helped me greatly with my addiction to cannabis and with depression. I know many people that took it and it helped them as well.
"Big pharma don't like it [Kambo]. But people take antidepressants for too long and struggle. Or they take too much alcohol."
The Telegraph also approached a second company called Shnuff, an online "shaman" store founded and run by Matthew Bevan, a 52-year-old former hypnotherapist and tea importer living in Devizes, Wiltshire.
Our reporter was able to buy a £60 stick of Kambo after contacting Mr Bevan directly, even though his website stated it was out of stock.
Below The Telegraph has reproduced a text exchange between a reporter and Mr Bevan.
At 14:52 a reporter messaged Mr Bevan stating: "I just wanted to ask if you had any of the £60 Kambo sticks available for delivery in London. I saw it said 'sold out' so was not sure if these are still available? Thanks."
At 17:27, just two and a half hours later, Mr Bevan replied: "I should do... just arriving back from holiday will check stock in case people have been busy lol xx"
The Telegraph: "OK thanks very much, really do appreciate it."
Mr Bevan: "OK I've just checked it looks like there's been a little flurry in the last couple of days so it is out of stock. But what I will do when I packed all these orders I'm going to have a look and see when the next delivery is come it's already on its way i will let you know asap."
21:07: "6 available... just added to the shop stock."
Mr Bevan markets his online Kambo sticks as "ethnographic specimens" that are sold solely for "reflecting the living cultural heritage of the Matsés people".
The Matsés people are the indigenous population of the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon and from whom Mr Bevan claims to source the Kambo sticks "directly and ethically".
Matthew Bevan sells Kambo sticks for £60 each from his online shaman store
A written warning on the website advises buyers that they are not "for human consumption or application".
It states: "These sticks are sold strictly as ethnographic specimens reflecting the living cultural heritage of the Matsés people. They are offered for historical, scientific and ethnographic reference only. Not for human consumption or application.
"Kambo is a powerful biological substance and its ceremonial use carries serious risks – documented adverse events in the medical literature include severe physiological reactions. Its sale is banned in Brazil and restricted in other jurisdictions. Customers are solely responsible for verifying the legal status of this product in their own country before purchase."
However, the warning appears to have been happily ignored by the 42 reviewers who have left five-star reviews of the poison.
Deadly 'frog poison' drug adverts fuel cash boom for Facebook and Instagram
One self-admitted Kambo practitioner wrote: "I did a self application yesterday and was very happy with the result. It was nice and strong. The effects came on quickly and I had an extremely deep purge. I will definitely be ordering from here again."
Another user, who describes himself as a "90kg muscular guy", says: "Delivered without delays or problems to Slovakia, stuff worked great, really strong medicine – I was vomiting with only five dots on my arm."
Similarly to Janguru, beyond a tick box to confirm that the user is above the age of 18, there are no further checks needed for purchasing Kambo from Mr Bevan.
Within a week the parcel of potentially deadly tree-frog poison had been delivered to the home of a Telegraph reporter.
At Mr Bevan's home in Devizes a sign on his front door declares: "Hippies Use Backdoor – No Exceptions".
Mr Bevan refused to answer questions about his sale of Kambo, saying he would not engage with The Telegraph.
Home Office officials told The Telegraph that they worked closely with health authorities and law enforcement bodies to monitor substances that pose a risk to public health and urged anyone with concerns about the safety or legality of a substance to contact the relevant authorities.
Academics have examined 14 documented poisoning cases that led to severe symptoms and, in some cases, death.
These include that of a 33-year-old woman in the US who developed psychosis after frequent Kambo rituals and that of 39-year-old Natasha Lechner, who died at her home in Mullumbimby, New South Wales, Australia, after suffering a cardiac arrest following a suspected Kambo ceremony in 2019.
Natasha Lechner died at her home in Mullumbimby, New South Wales, Australia, after suffering a cardiac arrest following a suspected Kambo ceremony in 2019
Other victims of the drug include Jarred Antonovich, 46, who died from a perforated oesophagus, suspected to be caused by excessive vomiting after being administered Kambo at the Dreaming Arts Festival at Collins Creek near Kyogle, also in New South Wales, and Marcela Alcázar Rodríguez, a 33-year-old actress, who died after ingesting Kambo during a cleansing ceremony in Mexico in 2024.
A group of Italian and Greek specialists in toxicology and forensic medicine which examined the deaths have urged governments and health authorities to treat the drug Kambo as a prohibited substance, and warned it would lead to more fatalities.
The authors, from the department of medical and surgical sciences at Magna Græcia University of Catanzaro and the department of forensic medicine and toxicology at the University of Athens, reported that after a series of deaths, the sale and marketing of Kambo was banned in Brazil in 2016, with the Australian authorities classifying the drug as a poison in 2021.
They went on to warn that "elsewhere in the world, however, Kambo remains largely unknown, and many institutions do not yet recognise it as a poison".
The academics added: "This lack of awareness presents a major medicolegal challenge, especially as traditional therapies are adopted in the West. The route of administration and failure to adhere to standard practices can lead to fatalities."
Amazon healthcare delves deep into the jungle's 'medicine cabinet'
The paper, published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science, states: "With the spread of this practice through media globalisation and the internet, the number of cases and consumers is likely to increase.
"Therefore, policymakers in various countries should take measures to prevent the spread of this dangerous substance worldwide."
The authors concluded: "Public health policies must address the unregulated sale and use of Kambo, especially through online channels, to prevent misuse and minimise harm.""
