The source is from herb of Houttuynia cordata Thunb., family Saururaceae. The medicinal material is mainly produced in all provinces of the south to the reaches of the Yangtze River, collected in summer, dried in the sun and the crude form is used.

Medicinal Properties:
Pungent in flavor, cold in nature and attributive to the lung meridian.

Actions:
Clear away heat and eliminate toxin, treat carbuncle and promote pus drainage, promote diuresis for treating stranguria.

 

Application
1. It is indicated for cough due to lung-heat, pulmonary abscess, and an essential medicine to treat pulmonary abscess. For pulmonary abscess marked by cough with bloody purulent sputum, it is usually combined with Jiegeng (Radix Platycodi), Lugen (Rhizoma Phragmitis), and Gualou (Fructus Trichosanthis), etc. For cough due to lung-heat with yellow and thick sputum, it is usually used together with Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae), Beimu ( Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii ), and Zhimu (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae ) and others that can clear away heat and resolve phlegm.
2. For pyocutaneous diseases of heat type, it is usually combined with Jinyinhua ( Flos Lonicerae), Pugongying (Herba Taraxaci ), Yejuhua (Flos Chrysanthemi Indici) and others that can clear away heat and eliminate toxin, the fresh being ground into pieces for external application.
3. For stranguria of damp-heat type and edema, it can combined with Cheqianzi ( Semen Plantaginis ) and Haijinsha (Spora Lygodii) to play a role together in inducing diuresis for treating stranguria.

Usage and Dosage:
15 -30 g is used in decoction for oral use, just right amount for external use. But it is not suitable to be decocted for a long time since it includes volatile oil.