Houttuynia (Yuxingcao)
Houttuynia cordate Thunb.
Pharmaceutical Name: Herba Houttuyniae, Herba cum Radice Houttuyniae Cordatae.
Botanical Name: Houttuynia cordata Thunb.
Common Name: Houttuynia, Fish Smell Plant.
Source of Earliest Record: Mingyi Bielu.
Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The entire plant is gathered in the time between summer and autumn. After gathering, it is cleaned and dried in the sun.
Properties & Taste: Pungent and slightly cold.
Meridian: Lung
Functions: To clear heat and release toxins.
Indications & Combinations:
1. Lung abscess manifested as cough with bloody and pus-like sputum. Houttuynia (Yuxingcao) is used with Platycodon root (Jiegeng) and Coix seed (Yiyiren).
2. Heat in the lungs manifested as cough with yellow and thick sputum. Houttuynia (Yuxingcao) is used with Mulberry bark (Sangbaipi) and Trichosanthes fruit (Gualou).
3. Boils and swelling due to toxic heat.Houttuynia (Yuxingcao) is used with Dandelion herb (Pugongying) and Forsythia fruit (Lianqiao).
Dosage: 15-30 g.
Cautions and Contraindications: There are currently no contraindications listed.
Cautions and Contraindications: There are currently no contraindications listed.
