Phyllanthus Niruri

The annual herb Phyllanthus niruri is best known by the common names stone-breaker, chanca piedra and quebra pedra, but has many other common names in assorted languages, including dukong anak, dukong-dukong anak, amin buah, rami buah, turi hutan, and bhuiaonla. It is a widespread tropical plant commonly found in coastal areas. It is a relative of the spurges, belonging to the leafflower genus of Family Phyllanthaceae.

The plant has long been used as an herbal remedy for urinary calculi, and has been shown in modern medical research studies to reduce the risks of stones in individuals prone to the condition. Research on the plant continues to determine if it has any other beneficial effects. It may have antiviral activity.

Its root, leaves, fruits, milky juice, and whole plants are used as medicine. According to Ayurvedic system of medicine it is considered acrid, cooling , alexipharmic and useful in thirst, bronchitis, leprosy, anemia, urinary discharge, anuria, biliousness, asthma, for hiccups, and as a diuretic. According to Unani system of medicine herb is stomachic and good for sores and useful in chronic dysentery. Fruits useful for tubercular ulcers, wounds, sores, scabies and ring worm (Agharkar 1991; Krishnamurty 1993). The fresh root is believed to be an excellent remedy for jaundice. A poultice of the leaves with salt cures scabby affection and without salt applied on bruise and wounds. The milky juice is a good application to offensive sores. The bark yields a bitter principle phyllanthin. The infusion of the root and leaves is a good tonic and diuretic when taken cold in repeated doses. In different parts of India, specially, in Chhattisgarh state, there is a rich traditional medicinal tradition concerning this weed (Caius 1986; Oudhia and Tiwari 2001). In many parts of India, it is commonly used for the treatment of snake bite. The active compounds phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin have been isolated from leaves. Recently, lignansniranthin, nirtetralin, and phyltetralin have been isolated from leaves. (Rastogi and Mehrotra, 1991) It is a major component of many popular liver tonics in India including Liv.-52. Fresh juice and powder of dried plant are used most frequently in Ayurvedic preparations (Sastry and Kavatherkar, 1991). The plant is used as a fish poison. In many parts of India specially in deserts, the roots mixed with Commiphora mukul are given to camels to cure indigestion. The decoction of leaves and stem are used for dyeing cotton black. (Singh et al. 1996).


It is one of the herbs mentioned in all ancient scriptures of Ayurveda. Bhamyamalaki is also known as tamalaki, bahupatra, bhadhatri, visnuparni, uttama etc. Maharsi Caraka has categorized it as kasahara – alleviates cough and svasahara relieves asthma. It has been cited in Ayurvedic texts that bhumyamalaki increases the appetite, is digestant, laxative and a liver stimulant. It is beneficial in cough, asthma, urinary diseases, jaundice, malaria and enlargement of liver and spleen.

During the last decade, bhumyamalaki has attracted the attention of scientists all over the world, because of its hepatprotective activity. All forms of viral hepatitis have a common pathology of acute inflammation of the entire liver. Epatic cell necrosis is associated with leaucocytic and histiocytic reaction .At present, five different varieties of viral hepatitis are known but major ones are Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B. No. effective specific therapy is available for treatment of hepatitis due to these viruses. Bhumyamalaki has shown clinical efficacy in Viral Hepatitis B, with modern parameters.

Bhumyamalaki grows throughout India, more common in central and southern regions. It is an annual herb which grows 30-60 cm in height. It is quite glabrous; stem often branched at the base. The leaves resemble to those of amalaki, but are more broad and thick. They are oblong obtuse, numerous and in pairs. The flowers are yellowish, axillary and numerous. The male flowers are 1-3, whereas female flowers are solitary. The fruits are globose, depressed capsules and the seeds are pale brown in colour. There are 3-4 different varieties of phyllanthus.

The botanical name of bhumya malaki is Phyllanthus niruri and it belongs to family Euphorbiaceae. Isolation of phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin from leaves). Three new lignansniranthin, nirtetralin and phyltetralin – isolated from leaves. The seed oil contained ricinoleic acid (1.2), linoleic (21.0) and linolenic (51.4%) acids. A new flavone glycoside isolated and characterized as fisetin – 4-O- glucoside; rutin, quercetin, quercetrin and astralgin also isolated a new lignan – nirphyllin and a new neolignan – phyllnirurin – from aerial parts.

Properties

Bhumyamalaki is bitter, astringent and sweet in the post digestive effect (vipaka) and has cold potency (virya). It alleviates kapha and pitta dIt possesses light (laghu) and dry (ruksa) attributes. It is specially used as an alleviator of pitta dosa and is salutary in excessive thirst, hyperacidity, anaemia, cough and the blood disorders. (Bhavaprakasa Nighantu)

Uses

The whole plant juice is used for medicinal purpose. The paste of its leaves is applied, externally, in the skin diseases, wounds and ulcers. In fractures, the pulp of the leaves mixed with salt is applied externally, to hasten the healing. In the diseases of the eye, the root juice, mixed with sugar, is instilled into nostrils in hiccup.

Internally, it is benevolent in gastrointestinal ailments like loss of appetite, constipation, hyperacidity and excessive thirst. It also mitigates diarrhea and dysentery. The decoction of bhumyamalaki augments the liver functions and is used as a blood purifier in hepato-splenomegaly. It calms down the pitta. In women, menorrhagia and leucorrhea is effectively treated with the seeds of bhumyamalaki. The also are rewarding in urinary diseases, diabetes, diabetes and chronic fever. The fresh juice of the whole plant works well, when given with ghee, in menorrhagia. In diabetes, the mixture of powders of bhumyamalaki, cardamom, cinnamon and amalaki is beneficial. The excessive thirst due to pitta vitiation is alleviated with the decoction of the herb in milk. Bhumyamalaki can also be of help as a general tonic in debility. It has a mild diuretic activity, so is useful as an adjunct, in the treatment of dysuria.

The effect of bhumyamalaki on chronic carriers of Hepatitis – B – virus was studied clinically, In a preliminary study, carriers of Hepatitis – B – virus were treated with the preparation of the plant phyllanthus niruri for 30 days. 22 of 37 (59%) treated patients has lost Hepatitis B surface antigen when tested 15-20 days after the end of the treatment compared with only 1 of 23 (4%) placebo treated controls. Some subjects have been followed up for upto 9 months. In no case has the surface antigen returned. Clinical observation reveals few or no toxic effects. The encouraging results of this preliminary study recommend continued evaluation of the plant and the active principles isolated from it.