Chanca piedra (Phyllanthus niruri) is a South American herb that has been traditionally used to help pass gallbladder and kidney stones. In fact, the English translation for chanca piedra is ‘stone crusher.' Best of all, recent scientific evidence validates its historical use.
Not all gallstones and kidney stones are created equal, and there are many factors involved in their formation including: genetics (hereditary), age, gender, and diet. Chanca Piedra has been found to be of value in stones formed from calcium oxalate. Generally speaking, about 25% of all gallstones have calcium oxalate as a base and approximately 80% of kidney stones are derived form calcium oxalate.
How does it work?
As it turns out the traditional healers of Peru were not far off when they coined the name ‘stone crusher.’ A 2006 study conducted in Brazil suggests that the therapeutic effect of Chanca Piedra may be due to its ability to modify the shape and texture of calculi (stones) to a smoother and probably more fragile form, which could contribute to elimination and/or dissolution of stones.
In Traditional Chinese medicine the kidney is considered the mother organ. Blockages of energy or Qi may result in harmful toxins accumulating in the body. Headaches, back pain, low energy, and puffiness in the face or legs may be triggered by kidney congestion.
Chanca piedra can be used to gently cleanse and detoxify the kidney facilitating the body’s efforts to rejuvenate itself.
