Houttuynia cordatta yu xing cao

The Chinese herb Houttuynia is translated literally from it's name Yu Xing Cao as "Fish Smell Herb."

From the perspective of Chinese medicine, this herb is acrid and cool, entering the Lungs and Large Intestine. This herb is used primarily to relieve toxicity, pus and abscesses, for example: vomiting blood due to lung abscess, yellow-green phlegm in the lungs & sinuses, external sores with pus (internal and external use), diarrhea with burning and foul smell, Lin Syndrome/UTI characterized by painful burning urination. Modern uses include treatment for chronic nephritis, chronically inflamed pelvis or cervix, gonnorrhea, inflamed respiratory tract, pneumonia, acute or chronic bronchitis including hyper-expanded bronchi, edema in the chest cavity caused by cancer, whooping cough, colitis, treatment of Leptospira infections, prevention of post-operative infection, hepatitis with jaundice, inflammation & pus affecting the middle ear, measles, contagious tonsillitis, blood vessel tumors. Houttuynia is anti-inflamatory, antipyretic, antitussive, anti-viral, anti-microbial (Staphylococcus aureus using fresh juice), detoxicant, diuretic, and refrigerant.

Houttuynia plants thrive in moist, shaded areas, especially ditches and swamps. In such a condition this plant can become invasive. It can be grown in a more constrained fashion by planting in a partially shaded garden where the soil is allowed to dry out. Propagate easily by division. This plant is currently found in USDA zones 5a-9b. The soil pH requirement for propagation is mildly acidic, 6.1 to 6.5. Harvest plants when they begin to bloom; choose those well-shaped leaves, buds, and fishy smell.

This herb is used traditionally in salads. It is best used the herb as as medicine in it's fresh form, because the therapeutic aromatic properties of this herb are quickly lost with heat. The root is also eaten as a food raw or cooked. In the case of making a preparation from dried herbs, they may be prepared by boiling for no more than 3 minutes or added to boiling water. The dosage used by Chinese herbalists for adults is 15-30g of the dried herb, for a baby less than 2 years 6 g, for a child 3-5 years 6-9 g, and for a child aged 5-12 years 12-15 g. Additionally this herb may be used externally for various purposes. Fresh juice squeezed from leaves can be used as an astringent for anal prolapse. The leaves can be used to make a poultice for weeping & red skin rashes, other sores and snake bites.



References:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2164/index.html
Joe Hing Kwok Chu http://alternativehealing.org/yu_xing_cao.htm
Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica. Dan Bensky pp 93-4.
Herbal Emmissaries. Steven Foster & Yue ChongXi.
Dr. Li Jin lecture and Pharmacopoeia I. p 76 Plant image from Wikipedia