Chanca piedra

What is chanca piedra?

Chanca piedra, Spanish for “stone breaker,” is the common name of Phyllanthus niruri, a small herb that grows in tropical regions of South America, Asia and Africa. It has a long history in Amazonian and Ayurvedic traditional medicine, particularly for kidney and bladder stones, liver complaints and digestive problems. Today it is sold as tea, capsules and liquid extracts, most often marketed for kidney stones.

What the research says

Kidney stones. A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis found only two controlled human studies that met its criteria. Pooled together, P. niruri treatment was associated with modest reductions in stone size and number. The authors concluded that limited clinical evidence supports a modest effect, pending further study, and noted that public interest in the herb has grown faster than the evidence.

An earlier review of Ayurvedic remedies for kidney stones described Phyllanthus niruri as the best studied of the herbs it examined, with lab, animal and early clinical studies suggesting it may interfere with calcium oxalate crystal formation. Still, it called for controlled randomized trials to confirm or refute the benefits.

Other uses. Lab and animal studies have explored liver-protective and antiviral effects, but these have not been established in well-designed human trials.

Oral health. We found no human research on chanca piedra for teeth or gums.

How it’s used in supplements

Chanca piedra capsules and teas vary widely in strength. Clinical studies on stones generally used gram amounts of the dried herb per day, so 50 mg in a multi-ingredient capsule is far below studied doses.

Safety data are limited. Short-term use appears to be reasonably well tolerated in small studies, but the herb has not been tested for long-term safety. Because people often use it for kidney stones, it is important to stress that stones causing pain, fever, blood in the urine or trouble urinating need medical care, not self-treatment. People with kidney disease, those taking diuretics, diabetes or blood pressure medications, and anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding should talk to a doctor before using chanca piedra, since its effects in these situations are not well understood.

Drinking enough fluids remains the most widely recommended habit for people prone to kidney stones, together with any diet changes a doctor suggests based on stone type. In a dental supplement, chanca piedra’s role is unclear, since its research has nothing to do with the mouth. We found no oral health studies at all.