Houttuynia cordata, a medicinal and edible herb with the same origin

January 23, 2024

01 According to the pharmacopoeia records

This product is the fresh whole grass or dry aboveground part of Houttuynia cordata Thunb., a plant belonging to the three white grass families. Fresh products can be harvested all year round; In summer, the stems and leaves of dried goods are lush, and the flower clusters are mostly harvested, removed from impurities, and dried in the sun.

Traits:

Fresh Houttuynia cordata: The stem is cylindrical, 20-45cm long, with a diameter of 0.25-0.45cm; The upper part is green or purple red, the lower part is white, and the nodes are obvious. The lower nodes have fibrous roots, hairless or sparsely hairy. Leaves alternate, heart-shaped, 3-10cm long and 3-11cm wide; Apex gradually pointed, entire; The upper surface is green with dense glandular spots, and the lower surface is often purple red; The petiole is slender, and the base forms a sheath like structure when combined with the stipules. Spike inflorescence terminal. It has a fishy smell and a bitter taste.

Dried Houttuynia cordata: The stem is flattened and cylindrical, twisted, with a yellow brown surface and several longitudinal edges; Crunchy and easily broken. The leaves are curled and wrinkled, flattened into a heart-shaped shape. The upper surface is dark yellow green to dark brown, and the lower surface is gray green or gray brown. Spike inflorescences are yellow brown in color.

Nature, taste, and meridian tropism: spicy, slightly cold, meridian tropism to the lungs

Function and Indications: Clearing heat and detoxifying, eliminating carbuncle and purulent discharge, diuresis and relieving gonorrhea. Used for lung abscess and purulent discharge, phlegm heat asthma and cough, hot dysentery, abscess and sore toxin

Usage and dosage: 15-25g, not suitable for long-term decoction; Double the amount of fresh products, fry or mash the juice, take an appropriate amount for external use, mash or fry the soup to fumigate and wash the affected area.

Storage: Store dried Houttuynia cordata in a dry place; Fresh fishy grass should be stored in a cool and damp place.

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02The function of Houttuynia cordata

Antibacterial: Modern research has shown that its specific odor mainly comes from an effective component in the volatile oil of Houttuynia cordata - Houttuynia cordata extract (decanoyl acetaldehyde). Houttuynia cordata extract is the main antibacterial component of Houttuynia cordata, which has a significant inhibitory effect on bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, influenza bacteria, pneumococci, and Staphylococcus aureus.

Diuretic: Houttuynia cordata also contains effective ingredients such as quercetin, which has antiviral and diuretic effects.

Anti inflammation: Clinical practice has proven that Houttuynia cordata has good therapeutic effects on upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic tracheitis, chronic cervicitis, pertussis, etc. It also has certain therapeutic effects on acute conjunctivitis, urinary tract infections, etc.

Enhancing immunity: Houttuynia cordata can also enhance the body's immune function, increase the phagocytic ability of white blood cells, have analgesic, cough relieving, hemostatic effects, promote tissue regeneration, dilate capillaries, and increase blood flow.

The inhibitory effect of anti-tumor new Houttuynia cordata extract on Ehrlich ascites cancer may be related to the increase of cAMP levels in cancer cells.

03 Taboos for Eating Houttuynia cordata

1. Avoid taking for deficiency cold syndrome and negative external ulcers.

2. "Famous Doctors": Eating too much can make you gasp for breath.

3. Meng Shen: Eating it for a long time can cause weakness, damage Yang Qi, and eliminate essence.

4. Houttuynia cordata has low toxicity and a fishy odor after oral administration. Local pain may occur during intramuscular injection;

5. It has a certain degree of irritation to the vaginal mucosa.

6. Houttuynia cordata injection can cause allergic reactions, including drug-induced dermatitis, peripheral neuropathy, and allergic purpura. Severe cases can cause allergic shock and even death, and should be given sufficient attention.

04 Dietary therapy methods for Houttuynia cordata

4.1 Houttuynia cordata tea

The simplest way to eat Houttuynia cordata is to boil it in water instead of drinking tea. People who are not used to fresh Houttuynia cordata, or those who have no fresh food but can only use dry food, can also use it this way.

Attention: Do not boil Houttuynia cordata for a long time like boiling other traditional Chinese medicine. Boiling dried Houttuynia cordata for a long time will evaporate its anti-inflammatory ingredients. How to cook it? Grab a handful of Houttuynia cordata, add half a pot of cold water, slightly submerge the Houttuynia cordata, bring to a boil over high heat, wait for two minutes, immediately turn off the heat, drain the medicinal soup, and you can drink it. Don't pour out the cooked fishy grass. Next time you drink it, you can add water and cook it again using the same method before drinking. You can cook three times in total, which is exactly enough for a day. If you really don't have the conditions to boil water, for example, when you're at work, you can directly make tea with dried Houttuynia cordata. Use more Houttuynia cordata, pour it into boiling water, soak it for a while, it can also have an effect.

4.2 Houttuynia cordata cuisine

If you can accept the smell of fresh fishy grass, it's best to use fresh products. Fresh Houttuynia cordata contains the most active ingredients and is better than dried products. And the dietary therapy for Houttuynia cordata is very simple.

To regulate various bacterial and viral infections, such as wind, heat, cold, herpes, urinary tract infections, etc., it is necessary to eat raw or cold dishes.

To prevent wind heat and cold, just stir fry and eat. This way of eating is relatively mild.

It is also suitable for daily consumption by weak individuals. When parturients eat chicken for the first time during confinement, they must add some fishy grass to prevent postpartum fever. Houttuynia cordata can also be used topically to treat boils. When the boil is ripe but not broken, and the pus cannot spread inward, crush the fresh fishtail grass and apply it externally to the surrounding area, leaving a middle sore. Houttuynia cordata has a detoxifying effect and will quickly expel pus.

It is also good for normal people to consume Houttuynia cordata as a vegetable for health. The most common way of eating is cold salad, which is suitable for most people. Houttuynia cordata has a cold nature, and elderly and weak individuals can use the method of stewing chicken. Add some sesame oil and it also has a moisturizing effect on the heart. It is very helpful for relieving summer restlessness.

Many people only eat white roots when eating Houttuynia cordata. In fact, the tender stems and leaves of Houttuynia cordata can be eaten, and the taste is also very good. Moreover, the leaves of Houttuynia cordata are more suitable for clearing and promoting the lungs, and have a stronger effect on regulating lung problems such as coughing, phlegm, and hoarseness.

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