Synonyms

Phyllanthus niruri L.: Diasperus niruri (L.) Kuntze; Phyllanthus asperulatus Hutch.; Phyllanthus filiformis Pavon ex Baillon; Phyllanthus lathyroides fo. decoratus Standl. & Steyerm.; Phyllanthus lathyroides Kunth; Phyllanthus microphyllus Mart.; Phyllanthus niruri subsp. lathyroides (Kunth) G.L. Webster; Phyllanthus niruri var. genuinus Müll. Arg.

Phyllanthus stipulatus (Raf.) G.L. Webster: Moeroris stipulata Raf.; Phyllanthus aquaticus C. Wight; Phyllanthus diffusus Kunth; Phyllanthus hoffmannseggii Müll. Arg.

Phyllanthus urinaria L.: Diasperus urinaria (L.) Kuntze; Phyllanthus alatus Blume; Phyllanthus cantoniensis Hornem.; Phyllanthus chamaepeuce Ridl.; Phyllanthus croizatii Steyerm.; Phyllanthus lepidocarpus Siebold & Zucc.; Phyllanthus leprocarpus Wight; Phyllanthus nozeranii Rossignol & Haicour

Local Names

Phyllanthus niruri: Bolivia: Chanka piedra (Spanish) (Bussmann et al. 2016); Colombia: Viernes santo, Barbasquillo, Barbasco, Quiebrapiedra, Chanca Piedra, Flor Escondida, Huevo abajo, Paracelsa (Spanish) (Bussmann et al. en prep.); Ecuador: Chanca Piedra (Spanish) (de la Torre et al. 2008); Peru: Chanca Piedra (Spanish)

Phyllanthus stipulatus: Colombia: Barbasquillo; Ecuador: Chanca piedra (Spanish), Kasunu tape (Chafi’ki), Na tso’tso ta’pe (Tsafi’ki), Hui’ya soquë (Pai coca) (de la Torre et al. 2008); Peru: Chanca piedra (Spanish)

Phyllanthus urinaria: Ecuador: Chanca Piedra (Spanish), Nentokabo (Wao tededo) (de la Torre et al. 2008); Peru: Chanca piedra (Spanish)

Botany and Ecology

Phyllanthus niruri: Perennial, erect, and weedy herb up to 75 cm tall. Branchlets appear as compound leaves. Leaves oval to elliptic, with rounded base and rounded tip, up to 1.5 cm long, underside whitish. Flowers singly or several from short stalks. Male and female flowers separate on the same plant. Male flowers white, 2 mm wide with 3 fused stamens, female flowers green, 7 mm wide, borne on longer stalks. The fruits are small and hard, 2-parted, yellowish green. In disturbed areas such as roadsides of humid, montane forests or riparian areas of the neotropics, between 400 and 2900 m (Macbride and Weberbauer 1936–1995).

Phyllanthus stipulatus: Annual or perennial herb; branchlet axes terete; cymules unisexual, staminate flowers proximal on branchlet; sepals 5 or 6; seeds longitudinally ribbed or striate (Macbride and Weberbauer 1936–1995).

Phyllanthus urinaria: Erect to prostrate, slender, glabrous herb, 10–35 cm high. The stems branch often, reddish. Leaves papery, alternate, about 4–10 × 2–5 mm, oblong to nearly linear and sometimes slightly falcate, bright to dark green above and gray-green to reddish tinged below. Monoecious, female flowers along the first to the middle part of the leaf, male flowers from the middle to the tip. Flowers very small, yellowish white. Fruits green, red, or greenish-red, about 3 mm in diameter, tripartite; surface has raised scales (Macbride and Weberbauer 1936–1995) (Figs. 1, 2, and 3).

Fig. 1
figure 1

Phyllanthus urinaria (Phyllanthaceae), Moyobamba, Peru. (Photo R.W. Bussmann & N.Y. Paniagua-Zambrana)

Full size image
Fig. 2
figure 2

Phyllanthus urinaria (Phyllanthaceae), Moyobamba, Peru. (Photo R.W. Bussmann & N.Y. Paniagua-Zambrana)

Full size image
Fig. 3
figure 3

Phyllanthus sepialis (Phyllanthaceae), Pisac, Peru. (Photo R.W. Bussmann & N.Y. Paniagua-Zambrana)

Full size image

Local Medicinal Uses

All species are used interchangeably for kidney and urinary problems, intestinal infections, diabetes, and cystitis and as anti-inflammatory.

Phyllanthus niruri: Bolivia: The dry whole plant is used to treat gallbladder infection, kidney stones, and kidney infection (Bussmann et al 2016).

Colombia: The whole plant is used in Colombia as insecticide in animals by applying it externally on the nuches and the skin infested with lice. In popular medicine it is used as a diuretic and purgative and also in the treatment of diabetes (García Barriga 1975; Pérez Arbeláez 1996). The whole plant is used to treat botfly infections, constipation, and lice infestation (Bussmann et al. 2018) Ecuador: The fresh whole plant is used to treat kidney stones and stomachache (Béjar et al. 2001; Bussmann and Sharon 2006a, 2007a). The plant is used to treat kidney stones (unspecified ethnic group – Los Ríos) (de la Torre et al. 2008).

Peru: The whole plant, fresh or dried, is used to treat liver inflammation, clean blood from toxins, inflammation, bladder stones, liver, kidneys, blood and inflammation of the gall bladder (Bussmann and Sharon 2006b, 2007b, 2015a, b; Monigatti et al. 2013). All species show distinct antibacterial activity (Bussmann et al. 2008a, 2010a, 2011). Sometimes it is found in mixtures with other plants (Bussmann et al. 2010b). Chanca Piedra is sold either fresh or as dried preparation, sometimes as tincture, and in medicinal plant markets everywhere (Bussmann et al. 2007a, b, 2008b, 2009, 2016; Bussmann and Sharon 2009). Phyllanthus is a common ingredient in emollients – healthy hot beverages often consumed for breakfast (Bussmann et al. 2015). Also it is used in India for allergies, boils, diarrhea, urinary disorders, indigestion, and gastric problems (Verma et al. 2007).

Phyllanthus stipulatus: The whole plant is used in Colombia as insecticide in animals by applying it externally on the nuches and the skin infested with lice. In popular medicine it is used as a diuretic and purgative and also in the treatment of diabetes (Bernal et al. 2011; García Barriga 1975). Ecuador: The whole fresh plant is used to treat kidney stones and stomachache (Béjar et al. 2001; Bussmann and Sharon 2006a, 2007a). The infusion is used to prevent and treat prostate cancer (Sequoia-Sucumbíos). It is applied in baths to harden bones in children (Tsa’chi-Pichincha) (de la Torre et al. 2008). The plant is used to clean the “bad air” and when children cry a lot and cannot sleep. It is applied to the eyes (Tsa’chi-Pichincha; Chachi-Esmeraldas) (de la Torre et al. 2008).

Peru: The whole plant, fresh or dried, is used to treat liver inflammation, clean blood from toxins, inflammation, bladder stones, liver, kidneys, blood and inflammation of the gall bladder (Bussmann and Sharon 2006b, 2007b, Bussmann and Sharon 2015a, Bussmann and Sharon 2015b; Monigatti et al. 2013). All species show distinct antibacterial activity (Bussmann et al. 2008a, 2010a, 2011). Sometimes it is found in mixtures with other plants (Bussmann et al. 2010b). Chanca Piedra is sold either fresh or as dried preparation, sometimes as tincture, and in medicinal plant markets everywhere (Bussmann et al. 2007a, b, 2008b, 2009, 2016; Bussmann and Sharon 2009). Phyllanthus is a common ingredient in emollients – healthy hot beverages often consumed for breakfast (Bussmann et al. 2015).

Phyllanthus urinaria: Ecuador: The whole fresh plant is used to treat kidney stones and stomachache (Béjar et al. 2001; Bussmann and Sharon 2006a, 2007a). The plant is used to treat indeterminate conditions (Wao-Orellana) (de la Torre et al. 2008).

Peru: The whole plant, fresh or dried, is used to treat liver inflammation, clean blood from toxins, inflammation, bladder stones, liver, kidneys, blood and inflammation of the gall bladder (Bussmann and Sharon 2006b, 2007b, 2015a, b; Monigatti et al. 2013). All species show distinct antibacterial activity (Bussmann et al. 2008a, 2010a, 2011). Sometimes it is found in mixtures with other plants (Bussmann et al. 2010b). Chanca Piedra is sold either fresh or as dried preparation, sometimes as tincture, and in medicinal plant markets everywhere (Bussmann et al. 2007a, b, 2008b, 2009, 2016; Bussmann and Sharon 2009). Phyllanthus is a common ingredient in emollients – healthy hot beverages often consumed for breakfast (Bussmann et al. 2015).

Local Handicraft and Other Uses

Ecuador: The plant is sown as living fence (Kichwa del Oriente-Napo) (de la Torre et al. 2008).