Phyllanthus niruri (Chanca Piedra)

Overview

Phyllanthus niruri, known as chanca piedra ("stone-breaker"), is a herbaceous plant native to tropical Americas, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Its aerial parts (leaves, stems, fruits) are traditionally used for kidney health and detoxification.
This is attributed to its lignans, flavonoids, and tannins with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

Kidney protection: Clinical trials show reduced kidney stone formation and increased expulsion, likely by inhibiting calcium oxalate crystallization.
Hepatoprotection: Animal studies indicate reduced serum ALT/AST and improved liver histology in toxin-induced injury.
Antiviral activity: In vitro studies show inhibition of hepatitis B virus replication and some activity against dengue and influenza viruses.
Antioxidant/anti-inflammatory: Demonstrates free-radical scavenging and NF-κB pathway down-regulation, supporting metabolic and cardiovascular health.
Glycemic control: Limited human data suggest modest reductions in fasting glucose and HbA1c after 8–12 weeks of supplementation, possibly via α-glucosidase inhibition. Benefits are dose-dependent, strongest for renal and hepatic indications.

The activity of P. niruri is primarily driven by lignans (phyllanthin, hypophyllanthin), flavonoids (quercetin, rutin), and phenolic acids (gallic, ellagic).
These compounds inhibit oxidative stress by up-regulating Nrf2-mediated antioxidant enzyme expression (e.g., HO-1, SOD).
Simultaneously, they suppress NF-κB and COX-2 signaling, reducing inflammation.
In the kidney, tannins bind calcium ions, preventing calcium oxalate crystal nucleation; they also increase urinary citrate.
In hepatocytes, phyllanthin blocks CYP2E1-mediated reactive metabolite generation, while flavonoids impede viral polymerases (antiviral effects).
Combined antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and crystal-inhibiting actions underlie therapeutic outcomes.

Clinical trials typically use 300–900 mg/day of standardized dried-leaf extract (≈ 30% total lignans), divided into two doses with meals.
For kidney stone prevention: 500 mg twice daily for 4–12 weeks.
For hepatoprotection: 400 mg three times daily for 8 weeks.
Liquid tinctures: 30–60 drops (≈ 200 mg) 2–3 times daily.
General antioxidant: 250–500 mg daily.
Diabetic or hypertensive patients: Lower doses (200 mg twice daily) are advisable; monitor glycemic and blood pressure effects.
Always start with the lowest effective dose and adjust based on tolerance and clinical response.

Phyllanthus niruri is generally well-tolerated.
Mild adverse events include gastrointestinal upset (nausea, diarrhea) and headache.
Contraindicated in pregnancy (potential uterine contractile activity) and lactation due to limited safety data.
Caution is advised for patients on diuretics (potentiated diuresis may cause electrolyte imbalance), anticoagulants (tannins may augment bleeding risk), and antidiabetic agents (possible additive hypoglycemia).
Hepatic impairment requires dose reduction.
Children (< 12 y) and individuals with severe kidney disease should avoid supplementation unless under medical supervision.

Primary bioactive lignans: phyllanthin (C₁₈H₂₈O₆; IUPAC: (2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2,4-dimethoxy-15-(3-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-2-methyl-butyryl)-6-hydroxy-7-methylene-1-oxabicyclo[5.2.1]-decen-3-yl acetate) and hypophyllanthin (C₂₁H₃₀O₅; IUPAC: (2R,3S,4R,5S,6R)-2-hydroxy-4-(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-propyl)-5-isopropyl-7-methoxy-1-oxabicyclo[5.2.1]-dec-4-en-3-yl acetate).
Molecular weights: 340.44 g/mol (phyllanthin) and 342.46 g/mol (hypophyllanthin).
Additional constituents: quercetin (C₁₅H₁₀O₇; MW 302.24 g/mol) and gallic acid (C₇H₆O₅; MW 170.12 g/mol).
Multiple hydroxyl, methoxy, and lactone groups confer radical-scavenging and metal ion chelation, underpinning antioxidant and anti-crystallization actions.

Phyllanthus niruri is cultivated in Brazil, India, and Thailand; wild-harvested populations exist in the Amazon.
Commercial supplements typically use aqueous or ethanol-based extracts of aerial parts, standardized to 30–40% total lignans.
GMP facilities use spray-drying of a 70% ethanol extract followed by micro-encapsulation.
Authenticity is verified by HPLC-UV or LC-MS fingerprinting of phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin.
High-quality products are certified by third-party organizations (e.g., USP, NSF) and report batch-specific assay data.
Organic, sustainable harvesting reduces heavy-metal contamination and ensures consistent phytochemical profiles.