Houttuynia cordata is also known as Zheergen. Some people point out that Houttuynia cordata contains aristolochic acid, and aristolochic acid is a carcinogen. Eating too much can cause cancer. However, it has been scientifically proven that Houttuynia cordata contains aristolocholactam. Aristolochaceae is a division of the plant kingdom. Aristolochic acid is a chemical component, and aristolochalactam is a metabolite of aristolochic acid. Most herbs of the Aristolochaceae family contain aristolochic acid. At present, there are more than 60 kinds of Chinese medicinal materials known, such as Akebia scutellariae, Aotea chinensis, etc. Aristolochic acid is indeed toxic. The "Chinese Pharmacopoeia" published in 2005 no longer includes traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions containing aristolochic acid such as Akebia scutellaria sibirica and Aokitake odorifera, and other varieties have been used instead. The International Center for Research on Cancer classified it as a Category 1 carcinogen in 2008, and natural mixtures of aristolochic acids as a Category 2A carcinogen. However, there is no aristolochic acid in Houttuynia cordata. So eating it will not cause cancer.