Houttuynia cordata is a herbal medicine included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The source of the herbal medicine is the dried aerial part of the Sagittaceae plant. In summer, when the stems and leaves are lush and the flowers and spikes are long, they are harvested, impurities are removed, and dried in the sun. Other names: Gouxincao, Zheergen, and Goudianer.

Herbal properties of Houttuynia cordata: the stem is flat cylindrical, twisted, 20-35cm long, 0.2-0.3cm in diameter; the surface is brownish-yellow, with several longitudinal ribs, obvious nodes, and residual nodes on the lower part. Fibrous roots; brittle and easy to break.

The leaves are alternate, curled and shrunken, heart-shaped when flattened, 3 to 5cm long and 3 to 4.5cm wide; the apex is tapering and the entire edge; the upper surface is dark yellow-green to dark brown, and the lower surface is dark yellow-green to dark brown. The surface is gray-green or gray-brown; the petiole is slender, and the base and the stipule are combined to form a sheath. The spikes are terminal, yellow-brown. It has a fishy smell when ground into pieces.

Extended information

Notes:

1. Various long-term research results show that aristolochic acid is a carcinogen, and its metabolite aristolochic acid Lactam I can damage the kidneys.

2. Houttuynia cordata does not contain aristolochic acid, and the mechanism of the aristolochoid lactams (BII, AII, FII) contained in the human body cannot be completely followed by the analogy of aristolochoid lactam I.

3. Eating Houttuynia cordata as a vegetable will not cause any problems, and its risk is smaller than many drugs and foods.

4. Houttuynia cordata injection has been banned due to serious allergic reactions that caused death. Oral liquids and granules have certain side effects.

5. Houttuynia cordata does have a certain antibacterial effect, but it decomposes after heating.

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