Individual Herbs Notebook

Yu Xing Cao

Pharmaceutical: Herba Houttuyniae cordatae
Taxonomy: Houttuynia cordata

Other names: Fish Mint / Chameleon Plant / Heart Leaf / Fish Leaf / Fish Wort / Rainbow Plant / Chinese Lizard Tail / Bishop's Weed

Category: Herbs that Clear Heat



Properties: Pungent, cold

Meridans Entered:
Primary: Lung, Liver, Bladder and Large Intestine


Traditional Actions/Indications:
  1. Clears Heat, relieves toxicity, reduces swellings and abscesses and expels pus (acts especially on the Lungs)
    Lung Abscess or Lung Heat cough with expectoration of thick, yellowish green sputum, pneumonia, acute and chronic bronchints
    Fire toxicity sores Chuang Yung (internal and topical)
  2. Drains Damp-Heat and promotes urination
    Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao with painful urinary dysfunction, enteritis Large Intestine Damp-Heat diarrhoea

Suggested Daily Dosage: 15-30g in decoction.


Cautions: Long time decocting is not proper because it contains essential oil.


Notable Constituents:
Appears in 2 formulae listed on this site: (click to display)
Research Links & References: (click to display)