Phyllanthus niruri
| Chanca piedra | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Phyllanthaceae |
| Genus: | Phyllanthus |
| Species: | P. niruri
|
| Binomial name | |
| Phyllanthus niruri | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Phyllanthus niruri is a widespread tropical plant commonly found in coastal areas, known by the common names gale of the wind, stonebreaker or seed-under-leaf. It is a relative of the spurges, belonging to the genus Phyllanthus of the family Phyllanthaceae.
Description
It grows 50–70 cm (20–28 in) tall and bears ascending herbaceous branches. The bark is smooth and light green. It bears numerous pale green flowers which are often flushed with red. The fruits are tiny, smooth capsules containing seeds.
Traditional medicine
Phyllanthus niruri has been used in Ayurveda for problems of the stomach, genitourinary system, liver, kidney,chronic fever and spleen.[2]
Research
Phyllanthus niruri has been investigated for its potential medicinal benefits. A 2010 review found some evidence that it might be effective at inhibiting kidney stone formation.[3] A Cochrane review from 2011 found that there is "no convincing evidence that phyllanthus, compared with placebo, benefits patients with chronic HBV (Hepatitis B Virus) infection."[4]
References
- ^ "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". Retrieved June 6, 2014.
- ^ Patel, Jay Ram; Tripathi, Priyanka; Sharma, Vikas; Chauhan, Nagendra Singh; Dixit, Vinod Kumar (2011). "Phyllanthus amarus: Ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology: A review". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 138 (2): 286–313. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2011.09.040. PMID 21982793.
- ^ Boim, MA; Heilberg, IP; Schor, N (2010). "Phyllanthus niruri as a promising alternative treatment for nephrolithiasis". International braz j urol : official journal of the Brazilian Society of Urology. 36 (6): 657–64, discussion 664. PMID 21176271.
- ^ Xia, Y; Luo, H; Liu, JP; Gluud, C (13 April 2011). "Phyllanthus species for chronic hepatitis B virus infection". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (4): CD008960. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008960.pub2. PMID 21491412.
External links
