Chanca piedra
Phyllanthus niruri · भूम्यामलकी
Herbs & Roots. Latin American & Amazon and Ayurveda.
Also called Stone breaker, Quebra-pedra, Bhumi amla
Sanskrit: भूम्यामलकी (Bhumyamalaki)
Diuretic; can cause fluid lossChanca piedra is a small tropical plant whose leaves are brewed as tea and used in folk and Ayurvedic medicine for kidney stones and liver complaints.
Did you know? Its name, chanca piedra, means stone breaker in Spanish, which shows what people hoped it would do to kidney stones.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Kidneys, bladder & UTIs. One small study in people with kidney stones found fewer stones after a 12-week tea schedule, but it had no placebo group. Larger controlled trials are needed.Early proof
- Liver. Traditional use for liver complaints. Lab and animal studies exist, but human proof is limited.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Amazon and Latin American folk medicine has used it for kidney stones and urinary complaints. Ayurveda calls it bhumyamalaki and uses it for liver and urinary problems.
How it is classified
How people take it
Traditionally brewed as a tea from the dried plant. Human trials used tea in cycles, and no safe daily dose is set.
Tea, capsule and tincture.
Where to get it
A small herb of tropical areas in South America, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Sold as dried herb, tea bags, capsules, and tinctures.
Be careful
Little safety research exists in people. As a mild diuretic, it can cause fluid or salt loss in large amounts. Avoid it in pregnancy, and check with a doctor if you have kidney disease or low blood pressure.
Avoid if: pregnancy; kidney disease; low blood pressure.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Both are Ayurvedic herbs used for kidney and urinary complaints.
- Use cautionWater pills (furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide)
As a mild diuretic, chanca piedra may add to water pills and raise the risk of low potassium or dehydration.
The honest take
Chanca piedra has a long folk and Ayurvedic history for stones and liver complaints. Its best human study was small and had no placebo group, so it shows promise but not proof. Ask a doctor before using it for kidney stones, especially if you have kidney disease or take water pills.