Family: Euphorbiaceae

Genus: Phyllanthus

Species: niruri, amarus

Common Names: Chanca piedra, quebra pedra, stone-breaker, arranca-pedras, punarnava, amli, bhonya, bhoomi amalaki, bhui-amla

General Description: Related to the spurge family, it belongs to the leaf flower genus of The Phyllanthaceae family. It grows 15 to 25 inches tall, has smooth light green bark and pale green flowers. Its fruit is a small smooth capsule that holds seeds.

Location: Quebra Pedra is found in most coastal areas throughout Central and South America.

Uses: Quebra Pedra is a rainforest herb used in tribal medicine to treat obstructions of all kinds; its properties helps eliminate mucous throughout the human body. This annual is known by several common names: stone-breaker, chanca piedra and quebra pedra; other languages also assign names to this plant.
Quebra Pedra has been used in herbal medicine to treat kidney stones and hard mineral salts that develop in the urinary tract. Some clinical studies support the use of this plant for treating both stones in the urinary tract as well as some viruses. More research is needed.

Quebra Pedra has been used in the Amazon rainforests for a variety of presumably unrelated ailments. It has been used historically as a diuretic. Some studies reported from different sources in the late 1980s claim its ability to inactivate the hepatitis B virus. "In one study with 88 patients who had been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, those who took Quebra Pedra in powder form showed a substantial increase in appearance of the antibody to the hepatitis virus." (Dr. Donna Schwontkowski)
This Amazon superfood may be a healthy preventative herb. Many herbalists drink a cup of Quebra Pedra tea daily to prevent disease. Research on Quebra Pedra continues and, hopefully, additional information will become available that will shed light on its value for humankind.