In a shocking incident that has emerged from Mexico, actress Marcela Alcázar Rodríguez has died after participating in a cleansing ritual at a spiritual retreat involving Amazonian frog venom. The 33-year-old actress was looking to purify her body and mind through the traditional South American Kambo ritual, which includes ingesting frog mucus as part of a detoxification process. Shortly after ingesting the venom, Alcázar Rodríguez suffered intense diarrhea and extreme distress. She was taken to the hospital, where she died shortly after arrival.
The Kambo ceremony involves participants drinking more than a liter of water and receiving small burns on their skin, on which the frog mucus is placed. This mucus contains venom intended to induce extreme physical reactions, including high blood pressure and vomiting. While these are usually considered part of the cleansing reaction, they can also contribute to dangerous complications. Symptoms include fainting, dizziness, and swelling of the face and lips. In extreme cases, prolonged exposure can lead to seizures and even death.
In this case, soon after starting the ritual, Alcázar Rodríguez became violently ill, with incessant vomiting and diarrhea; the latter symptoms, though viewed by the patients as means by which the body is “healing,” rapidly led to her deterioration. Somewhat resisting aid, she finally welcomed it from a friend.
It has been reported that the shaman in charge of the retreat initially counseled her against leaving but then fled when her condition worsened. Authorities are currently on the hunt for him in regard to the investigation over the circumstances of the tragic death of the actress.
