Chanca Piedra Phyllanthus niruri
- Common Names
- Chanca Piedra , phyllanthus, quebra pedra, kidney stone tree
- Botanical Name
- Phyllanthus niruri
- Family
- EUPHORBIACEAE
Medicinal Uses & Benefits of Chanca Piedra
How to Use|
Side Effects |
Plant & Garden|
- Medicinal Uses: * Ayurvedic
* Immune
* Kidney
* South_American
- Properties: * Antispasmodic * Diuretic * Emmenagogue * Febrifuge * Immunostimulant * Stomachic
- Parts Used: arial parts
- Constituents: astragalin, quercetin, limonene , methyl-salicylate , rutin , saponins
How to Use: Chanca Piedra
The name of chanca piedra in Portuguese, quebra pedra means "stone breaker." This traditional native medicine is used to treat kidney stones in both human and veterinary herbal medicine. It is a favorite natural treatment for kidney problems in guinea pigs and hamsters. The antispasmodic activity of alkaloids in Phyllanthus sellovianus explained the popular use of the plant for kidney and bladder stones.2
Scientists are investigating several compounds in the herb as antiviral treatments for hepatitis B and HIV. Small clinical trials in India have found a lowering of blood sugar in people with diabetes. Japanese researchers have found that chanca piedra contains aldose reductase inhibitors that stop the process of nerve damage. 2
Preparation Methods & Dosage :Chanca piedra is used in tablet and tincture form. Tablets are most often labeled by the ayurvedic name of the herb, phyllanthus, while tinctures are usually manufactured by companies who import the herb from South America and call it chanca piedra or quebra pedra.
Plant Description
- Flowers:numerous pale green flowers which are often flushed with red.
- Plant Class:Tropical Plant, up to 70 centimeters tall
- Leaves:Densely packed, alternating, growing from a central smooth, light green stem
- Fruit: tiny, smooth capsules containing seeds
- Preferred Habitat: Coastal Areas
- Medicinal parts:The aerial (aboveground) parts of the plant are used in herbal medicine.
- Distribution:Tropical
Regional Traditions :Ayurvedic * Central and South America *
Works Cited
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