Chanca Piedra

Other Common Names:
Chanca piedra, quebra pedra, stone-breaker, arranca-pedras, punarnava, amli, bhonya, bhoomi amalaki, bhui-amla, bhui amla, bhuianvalah, bhuimy-amali, bhuin-amla, bhumyamalaki, cane peas senna, carry-me-seed, creole senna, daun marisan, derriere-dos, deye do, erva-pombinha, elrageig, elrigeg, evatbimi, gale-wind grass, graine en bas fievre, hurricane weed, jar-amla, jar amla, kizha nelli, malva-pedra, mapatan,para-parai mi, paraparai mi, pei, phyllanto, pombinha, quinine weed, sacha foster, cane senna, creole senna, shka-nin-du, viernes santo, ya-taibai, yaa tai bai, yah-tai-bai, yerba de san pablo

Chanca Piedra:
Chanca piedra is a small erect annual herb growing to a height of 30 to 40 centimeters, and indigenous to the rainforests of the Amazon and other tropical areas including the Bahamas, southern India and China. The Phyllanthus genus contains over 600 species of shrubs, trees, and annual or biennial herbs distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. Phyllanthus niruri is quite prevalent in the Amazon and other wet rainforests, growing and spreading freely, much like a weed. Chanca piedra is the Spanish name for Phyllanthus niruri and translated, it means "Stone breaker" or "Shatter stone."

Part Used
Entire plant

Traditional Remedy:
A standard herb infusion or weak decoction is prepared as the traditional remedy.Depending on what it’s employed for, 1–3 cups are taken daily. Prevention and health maintenance dosages are reported by practitioners to be 1–3 cups weekly. Some pharmacies in Brazil and South America sell concentrated fluid extracts or water/glycerine extracts. Depending on the concentration of the extracts, 2–6 ml are taken 2–3 times daily. Alcohol tinctures have not been traditionally used with chanca piedra (as the more fragile, water-soluble phytochemicals and sterols are thought to be damaged in alcohol).

Contraindications:

Chanca piedra has demonstrated hypotensive effects in animals and humans. People with a heart condition and/or taking prescription heart medications should consult their doctor before taking this plant. It may be contraindicated for some individuals depending on the condition and/or medications may need monitoring and adjusting.

Chanca piedra has been considered in herbal medicine to be abortive (at high dosages) as well as an emmenagogue. While not studied specifically in humans or animals, animal studies do indicate it has uterine relaxant effects. It is therefore contraindicated during pregnancy.

Chanca piedra has been documented with female antifertility effects in one mouse study (the effect was reversed 45 days after cessation of dosing). While this effect has not been documented in humans, the use of the plant is probably contraindicated in women seeking pregnancy or taking fertility drugs. This effect has not been substantiated sufficiently to be used as a contraceptive, however, and should not be relied on for such.

Chanca piedra has demonstrated hypoglycemic effects in animals and humans. It is contraindicated for people with hypoglycemia. Diabetics should consult their doctor before taking this plant as it may be contraindicated for some individuals and/or insulin medications may need monitoring and adjusting.

Chanca piedra has been documented in human and animal studies with diuretic effects. Chronic and acute use of this plant may be contraindicated in various other medical conditions where diuretics are not advised. Chronic long-term use of any diuretic can cause electrolyte and mineral imbalances; however, human studies with chanca piedra (for up to three months of chronic use) has not reported any side effects. Consult your doctor if you choose to use this plant chronically for longer than three months concerning possible side effects of long term diuretic use.

Drug Interactions:

May potentiate insulin and antidiabetic drugs.

This plant contains a naturally-occurring phytochemical called geraniin. This chemical has been documented with negative chronotropic, negative inotropic, hypotensive and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor effects in animal studies with frogs, mice and rats. As such, this plant may potentiate antihypertensive drugs, Beta-blocker drugs and other heart medications (including chronotropic and inotropic drugs).

May potentiate prescription diuretic drugs.


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