The beneficial effect of phyllanthus urinaria has been known for a long time, which is precisely why the scientific, Latin name of this plant species, P. urinaria, refers to the urinary system. One of the common names of the plant is "stonebreaker" grass because of its application in the treatment of kidney and gallbladder stones.
It is wise to think of kidney stones before one suffers from them. Kidney stones can be extremely painful. The following is from a publication of the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), which is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
"Kidney stones [are] one of the most painful of the urologic disorders… Unfortunately, kidney stones are one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract; patients made more than 1.3 million visits to health care providers to have their stones treated in 1997. In 1999, more than a quarter million hospitalized patients had a diagnosis of kidney stones. An estimated 10 percent of people in the United States will have a kidney stone at some point in their lives. Men tend to be affected more frequently than women. "What are the symptoms?
"Usually, the first symptom of a kidney stone is extreme pain. The pain often begins suddenly when a stone moves in the urinary tract, causing irritation or blockage. Typically, a person feels a sharp, cramping pain in the back and side in the area of the kidney or in the lower abdomen. Sometimes nausea and vomiting occur. Later, pain may spread to the groin.
"If the stone is too large to pass easily, pain continues as the muscles in the wall of the tiny ureter try to squeeze the stone along into the bladder. As a stone grows or moves, blood may appear in the urine. As the stone moves down the ureter closer to the bladder, you may feel the need to urinate more often or feel a burning sensation during urination.
"Doctors do not always know what causes a stone to form. While certain foods may promote stone formation in people who are susceptible, scientists do not believe that eating any specific food causes stones to form in people who are not susceptible.
"A person with a family history of kidney stones may be more likely to develop stones. Urinary tract infections, kidney disorders such as cystic kidney diseases, and metabolic disorders such as hyperparathyroidism are also linked to stone formation…"
People susceptible to kidney stones may have an increased tendency to form them if they follow a protein-rich (and low-carb) diet such as the Atkins Diet. The Atkins Diet works well to control weight gain, but those who are obese and susceptible to kidney stones, and follow Atkins dietary rules may benefit from using phyllanthus urinaria on a daily basis.
