With the recent "discovery" of a very well known Amazon rainforest plant, Chanca Piedra (Phyllautus niuri), healthcare practitioners have acquired a powerful plant ally in helping their patients maintain optimal bladder, kidney, gallbladder, and liver health. Chanca Piedra is traditionally regarded as a health supplement that can promote the liver’s normal detoxification efforts for purging harmful substances.†

Facts About Chanca Piedra:

• Chanca Piedra is a small plant growing up to 12 to 18 inches in height and is indigenous to rainforests of the Amazon Basin and to southern India and China.
• Chanca Piedra is also known by the names "leafflower", "chamberbitter", and "quebra pedra" as well as less common local names.
• Chanca Piedra has been used for generations by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon to promote the body’s natural elimination of gallstones and kidney stones.
• Chanca Piedra is an immune system stimulator. It helps eliminate mucous and foreign particles from the kidney, gallbladder, and urinary tracts.
• Chanca Piedra also increases bile production, soothes the liver, and aids in minimizing calcification.

Research has indicated Chancra Piedra can help relax urinary and bile tracts of someone taking the herb. As a result, foreign particles are able to pass through the body much easier. Research in the 1990s also demonstrated Chancra Piedra can help reduce the formation of obstructions in the gallbladder and kidney for optimal flow of internal fluids.

Chanca Piedra also acts as a diuretic and laxative and may help the body rid itself of toxins. A 2002 study in India found that Chanca Piedra also helps increase bile secretion of the liver. Extra bile helps the body digest foods and liquids more effectively so you can obtain greater nutrition and also eliminate waste more efficiently.

Health Benefits of Chanca Piedra †

• Assists in repelling foreign particles and other obstructions
• Helps to detoxify the liver and kidneys
• Provides relief for pain and inflammation
• Aids in optimal digestion
• Stimulates healthy menstrual flow

To brew Chanca Piedra tea, bring 3 to 4 cups of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of Chanca Piedra, simmer for 15 minutes, strain, and drink when cooled to your desired temperature. Drink to your health!

Researchers are still unsure of the exact chemicals or combination of chemicals that makes Chanca Piedra such an effective liver supplement. Nonetheless, the herb has proven itself multiple times as an effective asset for promoting liver health.

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†Please Note: Chanca Piedra may increase the effects of certain diabetic, high blood pressure, and diuretic drugs. Do not use if pregnant or nursing due to its purgative action. Please consult your healthcare provider before taking this or any herbal supplement.