Bhumyamalaki or Phyllanthus is one of the herbs mentioned in all ancient scriptures of Ayurveda. Bhumyamalaki is also known as tamalaki, bahupatra, bhadhatri, visnuparni, uttama, Bhoomi Amalaki, Cane Peas Senna, Pitirishi, Carry-me-seed, Shka-nin-du, Hurricane Weed, Chanca Piedra (Shatter Stone).

This herb is considered as the drug of choice in any disorder pertaining the liver and spleen

Maharishi Charka has classified it as kasahara i.e. that eases cough and relieves asthma. It has been cited in Ayurvedic texts that Bhumyamalaki or Phyllanthus increases the appetite, is a good digestant, laxative and a powerful liver stimulant. It is helpful in conditions like cough, asthma, urinary diseases, jaundice, malaria and enlargement of liver and spleen.

Bhumyamalaki or Phyllanthus is also called "Chanca Piedra" a Spanish phrase meaning "stone breaker". The indigenous Peoples of the Amazon, where this plant was first used, used it to treat kidney stones and gall stones, and thus its name was born. It has many soothing properties, chiefly for the digestive system, and it is recommended as an apertif. It is also used as a remedy for vaginitis caused by candida albicans or Phyllanthus in many parts of the world.

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Benefits of Bhumyamalaki or Phyllanthus

• Hepatic supporter
• Antispasmodic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antibacterial
• Infections in urinary tract
• Diuretic
• Colic
• Joint pain
• Carminative
• Astringent
• Gallbladder problems
• Emmenagogue
• Intestinal Worms
• Rheumatism
• Gout
• Liver tonic
• Anorexia
• Colds
• Candida
• Abortifacient

Research - An experimental study of some indigenous drugs with special reference to hydraulic permeability.
By Upadhyay L, Mehrotra A, Srivastava AK, Rai NP, Tripathi K.

Research was carried out at Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, BHU, Varanasi, India.

The effect of commonly used indigenous drugs for hepatic disorders i.e. Tinospora cordifolia, (Guduchi or Amrita), Andrographis paniculata (Kalmegha), Picrorhiza kurroa (Kutki), Phyllantnus niruri (Bhoomyamalaki or bhumyamalaki) and Berberis aristata (Daruharidra) was tested on the hydraulic permeability of water in the occurrence of bile salt through a transport cell model. The data on hydraulic permeability were calculated as t (time). JV = Lp x AP, where Lp = hydraulic conductivity and AP is the force difference. It was observed that the value of controlled hydraulic permeability (0.49 x 10(-8) M3 S (-1) N (-1)) decreased in the occurrence of indigenous drugs and bile salt. The results suggest that these drugs might have the cell membrane steady property that may lead to prevention of the toxic effect of bile salts in various hepatic disorders.

The first notable area of study has validated chanca piedra’s or bhumyamalaki’s longstanding traditional use for kidney stones. In 1990, the Paulista School of Medicine in Sao Paulo, Brazil, carried out studies with humans and rats with kidney stones. They were given a simple tea (decoction) of chanca piedra for 1-3 months and it was reported that the tea promoted the elimination of stones. They also reported an important increase in urine output as well as sodium and creatine excretion. Consequently the medical school educated new doctors about the ability to treat kidney stones with this natural remedy and now it is found in many pharmacies throughout Brazil.

In a 1999 in-vitro clinical study, a chanca piedra or bhumyamalaki (phyllanthus) extract exhibited the ability to block the formation of calcium oxalate crystals (the building blocks of most kidney stones) which indicates that it might be a useful preventative aid for people with a history of kidney stones. In a 2002 in-vivo study, researchers seeded the bladders of rats with calcium oxalate crystals and treated them for 42 days with a water extract of chanca piedra or Bhumyamalaki (phyllanthus). Their results indicated that chanca piedra or Bhumyamalaki (phyllanthus) strongly inhibited the growth and number of stones formed over the control group. Several of the animals even passed the stones which did form. Most newly (in 2003), scientists again confirmed in-vitro that chanca piedra or Bhumyamalaki (phyllanthus) could help prevent the formation of kidney stones stating, ". . . that it may interfere with the early stages of stone formation and may represent an alternative form of treatment and/or prevention of uro-lithiasis."

Previously i.e. in the mid-1980’s, the anti-spasmodic activity of chanca piedra or Bhumyamalaki (phyllanthus) was reported. This led researchers to conclude that "smooth muscle respite within the urinary or biliary tract probably facilitates the expulsion of kidney or bladder calculi." Researchers had by now have reported chanca piedra's or Bhumyamalaki anti-spasmodic properties and smooth muscle relaxant actions (including a uterine relaxant effect) in earlier studies. In 1990, Nicole Maxwell accounted that Dr. Wolfram Wiemann (of Nuremburg, Germany) treated over 100 kidney stone patients with chanca piedra or Bhumyamalaki’s obtained in Peru and found it to be 94 percent successful in eliminating stones within a week or two.