Curative Effects of Phyllanthus Niruri on Kidney Stone

Posted byKaycie YambaoPosted inBotanical Therapy, Herbal TherapyTags:

Most opt for allopathic medicine for quick kidney stone removal. Whereas those who are into complementary medicine prefer plants and herbs that can dissolve the stone. There are only a few recommended natural remedies for kidney stones, and most of them have not yet undergone clinical trials. As of writing, there are only two herbal medicines that showed convincing positive clinical trial results for treating kidney stones. One of those is Chanca Piedra. 

Phyllanthus niruri also known as Gale of the wind, seed-under-leaf, chanca piedra and locally called sampa-sampalukan in the Philippines was found to be helpful for people with kidney stones. Read the clinical trials that attest to Chanca Piedra’s effect below.

1. Elimination of kidney stone

Phyllanthus niruri consumption helped in kidney stone elimination. An experimental trial conducted at the clinical hospital of University of São Paulo analyzed the effect of phyllanthus niruri on 56 patients with one or multiple small kidney stones that are measuring smaller than 10mm. The patients were between 18 and 60 years old. During the intervention stage, the patients were visited monthly and were given 60 sachets of 4.5 grams of phyllanthus nigiri dry extract herb. For 12 weeks, they were directed to drink two sachets of phyllanthus niruri dry extract-infused tea per day. Patients had to prepare it by infusing each 4.5g herb sachet with 250mL of boiling water. Included in the intervention program were the two rest weeks, where the herb was not used after each week of consumption. The patients themselves also served as controls, so there was a washout stage which was a phase where the participants did not consume phyllanthus nigiri for 12 weeks. Each patient was followed up for 26 weeks. Analysis outcome showed that 67.8% of the patients had decreased stone size. According to some patients they had spontaneous stone passage between the 21st and 70th day of phyllanthus niruri administration period. Four patients had their six stones eliminated, and five individuals had sandy fragments in their urine during phyllanthus nigiri administration. However, some patients experienced haematuria and abdominal pain which could be related to the small calculi eliminated during the intervention phase as patients observed the sand fragments in their urine. Since pain is a usual symptom among lithiasis patients, it can not be attributed to phyllanthus niruri consumption. Moreover, participants who had hyperoxaluria had their oxalate reduced, while hyperuricosuric patients had a decreased uric acid. Consuming phyllanthus niruri tea also increased urinary excretion of magnesium and potassium which could be the reason for the normalization of metabolic changes observed after using phyllanthus nigiri. Alkaline phosphatase reduction may have contributed to the decrease of calculi number, because alkaline phosphatase may be involved in the mechanism of calculi formation in hypercalciuria. Moreover, phyllanthus niruri intake did not cause remarkable adverse effects nor significant serum metabolic changes hence deemed to be safe. (1)

2. Reduced calcium stone in hypercalciuric patients

Phyllanthus niruri intake decreases urinary calcium, especially among hypercalciuria patients. For three months, 69 calcium stone-forming patients were allocated to consume either 450 mg capsules, td phyllanthus niruri, or a placebo. A subset analysis was conducted for patients who had metabolic abnormalities such as hypercalciuria, hyperuricosuria, hyperoxaluria, hypocitraturia, and hypomagnesiuria. Findings indicated that before and after phyllanthus niruri intake, there were no remarkable differences between the urine samples, except for a slight decrease in urinary magnesium which was within the normal range. However, the result of the subset analysis revealed that phyllanthus niruri induced a dramatic reduction in urinary calcium in hypercalciuric patients. In the short-term follow-up, no major differences were observed in calculi voiding or pain relief between the groups taking phyllanthus niruri or the placebo.

Definition: 

hyperoxaluria  – too much oxalate in your urine. This is the initial or first symptom of kidney stones. (3)

Hyperuricosuria is the urinary excretion of uric acid of more than 800 mg per day in men and greater than 750 mg per day in women. (4)

References:

Further readings:

  • Campos AH, Schor N. Phyllanthus niruri inhibits calcium oxalate endocytosis by renal tubular cells: its role in urolithiasis. Nephron. 1999;81:393-7
  • Freitas AM, Schor N, Boim MA. The effect of Phyllanthus niruri on urinary inhibitors of calcium oxalate crystallization and other factors associated with renal stone formation. BJU Int. 2002;89:829-34.
  • Barros ME, Lima R, Mercuri LP, Matos JR, Schor N, Boim MA. Effect of extract of Phyllanthus niruri on crystal deposition in experimental urolithiasis. Urol Res. 2006;34:351-7.
  • Ramsout R, Rodgers A, Webber D. Investigation of the effects of Phyllanthus niruri L. on in vitro calcium oxalate crystallization. Eur Urol Suppl. 2011;10:461-74.
  • Wang BE. Treatment of chronic liver diseases with traditional Chinese medicine. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2000;15 Suppl:E67-70
  • Nishiura JL, Campos AH, Boim MA, Heilberg IP, Schor N. Phyllanthus niruri normalizes elevated urinary calcium levels in calcium stone forming (CSF) patients. Urol Res.2004;32:362-6.
  • Devi MV, Satyanarayana S, Rao AS. Effect of Phyllanthus niruri on the diuretic activity of Punarvana tablets. J Res Edu Ind Med.1986; 5:11-3.

Published by Kaycie Yambao

Kaycie Yambao is a botanical medicine and counseling psychology writer. She studied integrative medicine courses such as Herbal Medicine, and Clinical Aromatherapy. She also has taken a National Nutrition Certificate Program. Kaycie worked as a personality development and Psychology instructor and was a guidance counselor.

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