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Marcela Alcaraz , a 33-year-old actress known for her role in Mexican short films, died after attending a spiritual retreat in the state of Durango.
According to initial reports, the young woman consumed a drink known as kambó , made with frog venom, as part of a ritual to “purify the soul.”
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, December 1. After ingesting the substance, Marcela began to experience severe symptoms such as vomiting and intense diarrhea.
Friends of the actress said that the organizers of the retreat downplayed the situation, assuring that these reactions were normal during the process. However, when she did not improve, a friend decided to take her to a Red Cross hospital, where she died hours later.
Local authorities have launched an investigation and confirmed that the death is related to alternative medicine practices.
According to experts, kambo is a toxic substance that is often used in spiritual rituals, but it poses significant health risks due to its poisonous origin.
What is kambo?
Kambó is a poison extracted from tree frogs, originally from Brazil, and has become popular in spiritual rituals in Latin America. During these ceremonies, shamans apply the poison to wounds caused by burns on the skin of the participants.
According to its proponents, the substance has therapeutic purposes, but its use can trigger serious adverse effects, including death.
Despite its ban in Brazil since 2004 by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), this practice has spread to other countries such as Mexico and Chile, where it is still performed in spiritual retreats.
Health organizations have warned that the consumption of this substance not only lacks scientific support, but also endangers the lives of those who participate in these rituals.
