Phyllanthus niruri L., known as "stonebreaker," is a small shrub from the Phyllanthaceae family that has considerable pharmacological significance and has been used in Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Malay traditional medicine for a long time. For centuries, it has been known in ethnopharmacology for its use against kidney stones, liver diseases, and infectious diseases. Many traditional claims have been validated through preclinical and limited clinical investigations, driven by growing scientific interest in recent years. This review synthesizes progress in the medicinal uses of P. niruri by examining studies published from 1980 to 2024, obtained from PubMed, Scopus, and other academic databases. Evidence underscores its extensive range of bioactivities, which encompasses hepatoprotective, antiviral, antimicrobial, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, antihyperuricaemic, and hypolipidaemic effects. These activities are largely ascribed to its abundant bioactive phytoconstituents like lignans, flavonoids, and alkaloids. Preliminary findings also indicate possible functions in reducing oxidative stress, modulating immune responses, and addressing metabolic disorders. Nonetheless, the clinical translation is still limited because of differences in extraction methods, lack of standardization in dosing regimens, and insufficient toxicological data. Future initiatives should focus on mechanistic exploration, safety profiling, cheminformatics-driven lead identification, and well-designed clinical trials to connect traditional knowledge with modern pharmacology. In the end, P. niruri appears to be a promising therapeutic agent that is both cost-effective and relevant to global health.
Narasimha Rao C (Sat,) studied this question.