Houttunyia cordata is a flowering plant native to Asia, known as dokudami in Japan, which literally translates as poison blocking plant (the Chinese yúxīng cao; literally means “fishy-smell herb”).
It is used as an edible garnish or salad green in parts of Asia and has been used medicinally for many centuries.
As with most herbs it has many diverse uses and applications.
Houttuynia has at least 3 major anti-viral components: methyl n-nonyl ketone, lauryl aldehyde, and capryl aldehyde (at Supreme we prefer to provide dried plants in the ratios that nature provided them as opposed to standardized extracts) that have shown activity against herpes simplex type 1, influenza virus and HIV type ,1 along with most envelope virus in general (1,2).
Houttuynia shows strong anti-inflammatory properties (3) and is antioxidative, and anti-mutagenic (4).
It helps with allergies by inhibiting histamine release and mast cell activation (5,6).
It has been successfully used to down-regulate the production of Th2 cytokines (7).
Houttuynia has been shown to have inhibitory effects against cholinergic antagonists and should be considered in cases of cognitive impairment (8).
It has antibacterial properties including Salmonella (9), and is anti-parasitic (11).
The lyme community for many years has used Houttuynia to treat bartonella species (also often contracted from and by cats).
It also has anti-fungal effects, including inhibiting candida albicans biofilms (10).
As with Morinda, Melia, Golden Thread, etc.
, etc, Houttuynia is a superb broad spectrum anti-microbial with many other therapeutic effects and should be considered with appropriate patients.
References available on request.