Chanca Piedra is the Spanish name for Phyllanthus niruri, which translates to “Stone Breaker” or “Shatter Stone”. The herb was named for its effective use by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon in eliminating gallstones and kidney stones.
This plant is distributed in all the tropical regions of the planet. There are no studies accounting for its geographic origin with accuracy. Some botanists say that it is a native from India because Linneo (1770-1778) probably reported a first specimen from India in 1737, but others say that it comes from the Philippines and it was then introduced to the New World.
It is a relative of the spurges, belonging to the Phyllanthus genus of Family Phyllanthaceae (Euphorbiaceae). The Phyllanthus genus contains over 600 species of shrubs, trees, and annual or biennial herbs distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres.....
