What is Chanca Piedra?

A member of the Phyllanthus genus, it has been suggested that Chanca Piedra can provide many health benefits.

Hailing from the rain forests of the Amazon where it grows “weed like”, the Spanish given name of Chanca Piedra translates as “stone-crusher” or “stone-breaker” and therein lies a clue as to it’s alleged main health benefit.

It has long been used as therapeutic herb for liver, kidney, gall and bladder health.

Although indigenous to the Amazon, it is also found in China, India and the Bahamas who’s populations have also found the same health benefits from using the weed like herb.

It’s actually amazing that a small weed like plant can have such incredible health benefits. Despite the fact that it has been pretty much spurned by Western medicine, Chanca Piedra has a real reputation in the sub tropical areas in which it is found.

The Main Health Benefits of Chanca Piedra

As I mentioned the name suggests the cure of gallstones and kidney stones. And, with over 20 million cases of this complaint in the U.S each year alone, I wonder why Chanca Piedra is not more widely used? Especially when you consider the acute pain these complaints cause in sufferers.These “stones” form due to a build up of calcium-oxalate crystals which over time form into the “stone” and cause pain through blockage and inflammation.

The normal (Western) course of action for kidney and gallstones is antibiotics and painkillers. But these are essentially ineffective and you normally have to turn to surgery for a final cure, even though the underlying problem may well remain! So how does this amazing herb remove kidney stones and gallstones? Firstly it has been suggested that it promotes an increase in magnesium in the kidney.

Magnesium has been proven to break down kidney stones. It also increases Vitamin B6 which reduces the acidity of your urine and also expunges calcium oxalate. It also helps stop the crystals reforming. It is also thought that some elements within Chanca Piedra act as a pain killer in the kidney therefore reducing the pain of stones even before they are broken up, this same element also acts as a mild muscle relaxant to further help pain and inflammation.

It also acts as a mild diuretic helping the kidney keep a steady flow or urine and therefore better overall kidney fact a German study in the 1960’s found that 94% of all gall and kidney stones treated with Chanca Piedra were cured… yet it is still not widely accepted by Western medicine?

Chanca Piedra is also known as an efficient way in which to generally detox liver, kidney, gall and bladder

Like you, I like a nice cold beer or a nice glass of big red wine, but I have found that taking this herb has helped me massively as far as liver, kidney and general renal health is concerned.

Other suggested traditional uses of Chanca Piedra for health benefit include the treatment of diabetes, prostate disorders, asthma, fever, indigestion and constipation. Not to mention it’s pain killing, muscle relaxant and anti inflammatory properties. I have also heard it can be used for the expulsion of parasites as well!