A Leicester wellness coach is thought to be the first British person to have died after using Kambo
Mr Trend died on April 11(Image: Facebook)
Health experts have warned people to steer clear of self-appointed “shamans” peddling a potentially deadly therapy involving a drug derived from the poisonous skin of an Amazonian tree frog.
The warning comes after a Leicester wellness coach became the first British person to die after allegedly taking part in a Kambo “cleansing” ceremony, the Mirror reports.
Kristian Trend, a 40-year-old cancer survivor, collapsed at a property in Leicester in April after reportedly using the substance.
Leicestershire Police confirmed a 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of administering poison and has since been released on bail, with an investigation into the circumstances continuing and toxicology tests still ongoing.
Kambo is a poison derived from the giant monkey frog and is used as a traditional medicine in purging and cleansing rituals by indigenous tribes in the Amazon region.
(Image: Getty Images)
It can be bought legally in the UK and Ireland but is banned in Brazil, Chile and Australia, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency does not license it as a medicine or oversee those who administer it.
According to the National Library of Medicine, there is a risk of serious adverse reactions when using Kambo, especially if it enters the bloodstream.
Symptoms are strong and immediate and may include severe vomiting, dizziness, fainting and swollen lips or face, with more serious reactions including tachycardia, blood pressure fluctuations and in rare cases sudden cardiac death.
The British Pharmacological Society warned that safe prescribing depends on proper clinical oversight and a full understanding of possible risks, side effects and interactions with other medicines.
It advised people to speak to a licensed healthcare professional before using any medical products including natural or alternative therapies.
The British Complementary Medicine Association, whose members do not offer Kambo, urged people to use only registered and qualified practitioners for any alternative treatment.
The BCMA said: “You would not go to a doctor without checking they were registered, properly qualified and insured; the same follows for a complementary therapist.”
(Image: GummyBone via Getty Images)
Mr Trend’s mother Angie has called for an outright ban on the substance following her son’s death.
She said: “I do hope this is banned and nobody has to go through this devastating pain. We are obviously heartbroken and realise going forward this is not going away anytime soon.
“I’m not strong enough to fight for it. My husband died six years ago at 62. I’m completely lost now.”