The incompatibility between ayahuasca and kambo stems from dangerous pharmacological interactions, compounded physiological stresses, and unpredictable neurological effects that create significant health risks. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
⚗️ 1. Pharmacological Conflicts
- MAOI Interactions: Ayahuasca contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) like harmine, which prevent the breakdown of neurotransmitters (serotonin) and other compounds. Kambo contains bioactive peptides (e.g., dermorphin, deltorphins) that affect opioid receptors, blood pressure, and the nervous system. MAOIs can amplify kambo’s toxins, leading to serotonin toxicity, hypertensive crisis, or seizures.
- Enzyme Inhibition: Ayahuasca’s MAOIs inhibit cytochrome P450 enzymes, potentially slowing the metabolism of kambo’s peptides. This prolongs and intensifies their effects, increasing overdose risk.
💥 2. Physiological Overload
- Cardiovascular Strain: Both substances independently cause tachycardia and blood pressure fluctuations. Kambo’s phyllocaerulein and phyllokinin can induce severe hypotension or hypertension, while ayahuasca’s DMT exacerbates heart rate spikes. Combined, they risk arrhythmias, heart failure, or sudden cardiac death.
- Gastrointestinal Trauma: Kambo induces violent vomiting/diarrhea (“purging”), and ayahuasca amplifies nausea. This synergy can cause severe dehydration, esophageal tears (e.g., Boerhaave syndrome), or intestinal perforation.
- Renal Stress: Kambo’s toxins (e.g., phyllomedusin) may cause rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury, worsened by dehydration from ayahuasca-induced vomiting.
🧠 3. Neurological and Psychiatric Risks
- Seizures and Psychosis: Kambo can trigger seizures due to its impact on neuronal excitability, while ayahuasca’s hallucinogenic effects (DMT) may induce psychosis. Combined, they heighten risks of prolonged dissociation, hallucinations, or serotonin syndrome.
- Altered Consciousness: Ayahuasca alters sensory perception, impairing a person’s ability to recognize kambo-induced distress (e.g., respiratory depression), delaying medical intervention.
⚠️ 4. Synergistic Toxicity
- Blood-Brain Barrier Penetration: Kambo peptides increase blood-brain barrier permeability, potentially allowing higher concentrations of ayahuasca’s DMT into the brain and intensifying neurotoxicity.
- Case Evidence: A 2018 study confirmed severe agitation, seizures, and hospitalization in a patient using both substances simultaneously. Mass spectrometry detected 16 toxic kambo peptides alongside ayahuasca alkaloids in their system.
⛑️ 5. Traditional vs. Modern Misuse
- Cultural Context: Indigenous Amazonian groups historically use kambo and ayahuasca separately for distinct purposes (e.g., kambo for physical cleansing, ayahuasca for spiritual insight). Combining them is a modern, non-traditional practice with no ancestral precedent.
- Unregulated Settings: “Retreats” offering both rituals often lack medical oversight. Shamans may underestimate interactions, increasing risks of improper dosing or ignoring contraindications (e.g., heart conditions, antidepressants).
💡 Key Safety Takeaway
Avoid combining these substances entirely. The U.S. Embassy explicitly warns against ayahuasca/kambo due to deaths, sexual assaults, and robberies at unregulated centers 1. Australia classifies kambo as a poison following fatalities 5. Always consult a healthcare provider before considering either substance.
“Combining ayahuasca and kambo is like mixing two hurricanes—their individual chaos multiplies into a perfect storm for the body.” — Toxicologist analysis of 2025 fatality reports.
I’m sorry that it took the Church of Ayahuasca in Orlando to make this clear, but we have to stay vigilant and safe if we’re going to serve psychedelics to people in a safe and clear set and setting.
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