Whole herbsHeat-clearingHouttuyniae Herba

Yu Xing Cao (Heartleaf Houttuynia Herb)

Q: What is Yu Xing Cao? Are patrinia and dandelion the same?

Official Yu Xing Cao (鱼腥草) is the fresh whole herb or dried aerial part of Houttuynia cordata . The pharmacopoeial name is Houttuyniae Herba . Patrinia is acrid-bitter and slightly cold: clears heat, resolves toxin, dissipates abscesses and expels pus. Dandelion is bitter-sweet and cold: clears heat, resolves toxin, reduces swelling and disperses nodules. The three cannot be interchanged by equal weight. Write Yu Xing Cao. Use caution in vacuity cold patterns.

Q: What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Yu Xing Cao?

According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Yu Xing Cao is acrid and slightly cold , enters the Lung channel, and acts to clear heat, resolve toxin, expel pus and dissipate abscesses, promote urination and free lin . It is used for Lung abscess with vomiting of pus, phlegm-heat panting and cough, heat dysentery, heat lin, and abscesses and sores. Acrid and slightly cold, it suits Lung heat with phlegm abscesses—not vacuity cold, or absence of heat.

Q: What is the usual dosage? Can it be drunk daily as a heat-clearing tea?

The pharmacopoeial decoction dose is 15–25 g , not long-decocted; fresh herb is doubled. It is not a four-season “Houttuynia heat-clearing tea.” Vacuity cold only loosens further as it cools. Lung abscess is an emergency; it does not replace hospital assessment.

Q: How do you choose and store Yu Xing Cao?

Choose intact stems and leaves, a yellow-green or dark green surface, a fishy odor and a slightly astringent taste . Moldy, scentless or dirty lots are discarded. Store dry. Buy pharmacopoeial Yu Xing Cao; do not replace clearing heat, resolving toxin, expelling pus and dissipating abscesses, promoting urination and freeing lin with patrinia or dandelion by equal weight.

A practical guide to Yu Xing Cao: what it is, how Traditional Chinese Medicine uses it, the classical formulas it appears in, and who should be careful with it.

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Last reviewed Oct 13, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin Name	Houttuyniae Herba
Chinese Name & Pinyin	魚腥草 · Yu Xing Cao
Medicinal Part	Whole herbs
The herb	Yu Xing Cao is the fresh whole plant or dried aerial part of Houttuynia cordata. Do not boil it long. Bai Jiang Cao is a different official drug.
Nature and channels	Acrid, slightly cold. Enters the Lung. Acrid slight cold clears heat, resolves toxin, discharges pus, reduces abscess, and frees strangury.
Pharmacopoeia line	Clears heat and resolves toxin. Discharges pus and reduces abscess. Promotes urine and frees strangury. Used for Lung abscess with pus, phlegm-heat wheeze, heat dysentery, heat strangury, and abscesses and toxic sores.
Pattern cues	Lung abscess with pus. Phlegm-heat wheeze. Heat strangury. Heat dysentery. Abscesses.
In this article	Yu Xing Cao versus Bai Jiang Cao, Lu Gen, and Pu Gong Ying. Clearing the Lung versus freeing strangury. Why it is not boiled long. Why Lung abscess needs a clinic. Who should skip it.

What Is Yu Xing Cao?

Yu Xing Cao (鱼腥草; Yú Xīng Cǎo; Latin: Houttuyniae Herba; English: houttuynia) is the fresh whole plant or dried aerial part of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. In Chinese medicine it is a heat-clearing, toxin-resolving herb. It is acrid and slightly cold, enters the Lung channel, and its core actions are to clear heat and resolve toxin, discharge pus and reduce abscess, and promote urine and free strangury. It contains volatile oil. Do not boil it long. The usual dried dose is 15–25 g. Fresh material is doubled, decocted or pounded for the juice.

It is not Bai Jiang Cao. Patrinia is acrid, bitter, and slightly cold. It clears heat, resolves toxin, discharges pus, reduces abscess, dispels stasis, and relieves pain, and leans toward intestinal abscess. Yu Xing Cao is acrid and slightly cold. Clearing Lung heat, discharging pus, and freeing strangury are more specific. Wild greens are not an unlimited treatment dose. Lung abscess with pus, severe phlegm-heat wheeze, and heat strangury need a clinic. Deficiency-cold patterns and yin-pattern sores are a poor match. Avoid it if allergy is known.

It is used most often for three patterns:

Lung abscess with pus, phlegm-heat wheeze — seek care
Heat dysentery, heat strangury — seek care
Abscesses and toxic sores — external use also needs pattern diagnosis

Acrid and slightly cold, it is not a daily “toxin houttuynia” tea. Clearing when there is no heat-toxin injures middle yang.

When phlegm-heat fills the Lung, or heat-toxin soaks in, coughing of purulent sputum and painful strangury are common. Yu Xing Cao is acrid and slightly cold. It clears, discharges pus, and frees strangury, which is why it appears in Lung-abscess formulas. It cools and drains more than it warms. Loose stools, fear of cold, and thin white sputum get worse if more is added.

Yu Xing Cao is not a catch-all heat or pus herb. In deficiency-cold, yin-pattern sores, or when there is no heat-toxin, using it alone can cool and injure the middle. Whether it belongs in a formula should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis.

Yu Xing Cao: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Houttuyniae Herba

Botanical Origin

The fresh or dried aerial portion of Houttuynia cordata Thunb.(Saururaceae)

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the areas south of the Yangtze River of China.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material has numerous leaves, green color, with flower spike and potent fishy odor.

Macroscopic Features

Dried piece has flat cylindrical stem, wrinkled, 20~35cm long, 0.2~0.3cm diameter; externally brownish-yellow, with numerous longitudinal ridges, obvious nodes, lower node have remnants of rootlet; brittle texture, easily broken. Opposing leaves, leaf is rolled over and wrinkled, heart-shaped after being spread flat, 3~5cm long, 3~4.5cm wide; gradually pointed apex, with entire edge; upper surface is dark yellowish-green to dark brown, lower surface is grayish-green or grayish-brown; thin and long leaf stem, base and stipule together form a sheath-like appearance. Spiked flower head grows at the apex, yellowish-brown. Produce fishy odor when mashed, slightly astringent taste.

Authentic Origins and Quality Identification

Historically, the best quality comes from regions south of the Yangtze River, including Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Sichuan, and Guizhou.

Quality Signs: Premium Yu Xing Cao (Fish Mint) has thin stems, plenty of green leaves, and breaks crisply without effort. Most importantly, it should have a mild, fresh fishy scent without any sour or moldy odors.
Look-alikes: It can sometimes be confused with other plants in the same family. You can easily spot the real deal by its signature heart-shaped leaves and distinct fishy aroma; the impostors usually have oval leaves and a very weak smell.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Acrid; Slightly coldLung

1. Historical Records in Materia Medica

Ancient TCM texts have documented its traditional uses for centuries:

Early texts like the Ming Yi Bie Lu and Xin Xiu Ben Cao noted its use for topical skin sores and boils.
The famous Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica) recorded its ability to clear heat toxins, ease carbuncles, and address hemorrhoids.
Later texts like the De Pei Ben Cao and Zhong Hua Ben Cao highlighted its role in clearing damp-heat, promoting urination, and resolving toxic swelling—all based on centuries of traditional clinical observation.

2. Evolution of TCM Understanding

Over time, different TCM doctors focused on different strengths of Yu Xing Cao (Fish Mint):

Damp-Heat: Some practitioners relied heavily on its ability to clear damp-heat, using it for urinary issues or damp-heat dysentery.
Toxin-Clearing: Others focused on its power to resolve toxic swellings, especially for lung or skin issues.
Important Warning: All practitioners agree it is strictly for "excess heat" conditions. People with a cold spleen/stomach (prone to stomachaches and loose stools) or a general lack of Yang energy must use it with extreme caution so they do not make their bodies too cold.

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Clears heat, resolves toxin, reduces swelling, and promotes urination. Apply to lung abscess, cough with yellow phlegm, sores, and lin syndrome from damp-heat.

1. Primary Focus: Clearing Damp-Heat

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the core function of Yu Xing Cao (Fish Mint) is to clear damp-heat from the body.

Common signs: It is traditionally used when damp-heat accumulation causes issues like scanty or dark urine, painful urination, or damp-heat dysentery (which presents as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and sticky stools).
Common pairings: To enhance its damp-heat clearing effects, it is often paired with herbs like Che Qian Cao (Plantain Herb) and Hua Shi (Talcum). For dysentery, it is commonly combined with Huang Lian (Coptis Root) and Mu Xiang (Aucklandia Root) to regulate Qi while clearing heat.
Caution: If you suffer from a cold Spleen and Stomach (meaning you easily feel cold, have cold hands/feet, or experience loose stools), you should avoid using this herb. Its cold nature can easily make these symptoms worse.

2. Secondary Focus: Resolving Carbuncles and Draining Pus

Another major traditional use is to clear toxic buildup and drain pus.

Common signs: It is frequently used for lung heat issues, such as severe coughing, coughing up pus or blood, and chest pain. It is also used for early-stage skin boils and sores that are red, swollen, hot, and painful.
Common pairings: For lung issues, it pairs well with Jin Yin Hua (Honeysuckle) and Jie Geng (Platycodon Root). For hot skin sores, it is often combined with Pu Gong Ying (Dandelion) and Zi Hua Di Ding (Tokyo Violet).
Caution: It should never be used for "cold-type" sores (sores that look dark, produce clear fluid, and lack redness or heat), as it will only worsen the underlying coldness.

3. Common Single-Herb Pairing: Synergy

A highly classic TCM pairing is Yu Xing Cao (Fish Mint) combined with Lu Gen (Reed Rhizome).

The Synergy: Lu Gen is sweet and cold; it clears heat, generates fluids, and relieves thirst. Both herbs target the Lung meridian. Together, they create a powerful synergy to clear lung heat and resolve swellings.
Best for: This combo is excellent for early-stage lung swelling or heat-type coughs with thick, yellow phlegm.
Important note: This is a specialized pairing that requires a practitioner's guidance. Do not mix them yourself, especially if your digestive system is weak and cold.

Modern Research

Modern research offers useful context, but Traditional Chinese Medicine prescribes on whole-pattern diagnosis rather than isolated compounds.

Note: The following covers early-stage laboratory research and does not represent proven medical treatments for humans.

1. Main Chemical Compounds

Modern science has identified several compounds in Yu Xing Cao (Fish Mint), mainly essential oils (like decanoyl acetaldehyde), along with flavonoids and alkaloids. While early petri-dish and animal tests suggest it may have some antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, there is currently not enough clinical evidence to confirm these effects treat illnesses in humans.

2. Modern Pharmacological Focus

Researchers are primarily looking into the active essential oils and flavonoids. Most current studies focus on observing how these specific plant chemicals might fight certain bacteria or reduce swelling in controlled laboratory or animal models.

3. Limitations of Modern Research

When reading about these scientific studies, keep a few things in mind:

Lab vs. Life: Results from a petri dish or a mouse do not automatically translate to the complex human body.
Extracts vs. Whole Herbs: Lab tests often use highly concentrated single chemicals, which is very different from drinking a traditional brewed herbal tea.
Inconsistent Methods: Different studies use different dosages and preparation methods, making it hard to draw universal conclusions.
The Power of Synergy: In TCM, the healing effect comes from how the entire plant works together. Looking at just one isolated chemical misses the overall impact of the whole herb.

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. Common Ground

Yu Xing Cao (Fish Mint) and Lu Gen (Reed Rhizome) share three main similarities:

Both are primarily used to clear Lung heat.
Both address traditional heat patterns, like heat-induced coughs or damp-heat buildup.
Both often show up in similar herbal formulas or dietary recipes aimed at clearing the lungs.

2. Core Differences

Nature: Yu Xing Cao is pungent (spicy) and cold, focusing strongly on "draining" and dispersing toxic heat. Lu Gen is sweet and cold, making it much gentler and more focused on moistening and generating bodily fluids.
Therapeutic Focus: Yu Xing Cao is the heavy hitter for draining pus and clearing intense, accumulated toxins (especially in the lungs). Lu Gen is better at clearing heat while relieving dry mouth and stopping heat-induced vomiting.
Traditional Indications: Choose Yu Xing Cao for severe heat signs like thick, smelly phlegm, pus, or dysentery. Choose Lu Gen for heat that damages fluids, showing up as a dry cough, dry mouth, red tongue, or mild stomach heat.
Contraindications: Neither is good for a cold Spleen/Stomach. However, because Lu Gen is gentler, it might be tolerated for mild stomach heat, whereas Yu Xing Cao must be strictly avoided by anyone with a cold, weak stomach.

3. One-Sentence Summary

Yu Xing Cao (Fish Mint) is a strong disperser meant for draining toxic heat and pus, while Lu Gen (Reed Rhizome) is a gentle moistener meant for clearing heat and hydrating the lungs and stomach.

Classical Formulas Containing Yu Xing Cao

Formulas vs. Single Herbs

Synergy is Key: A formula is a balanced team. The healing power comes from how the herbs interact, so a single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effects.
Holistic Balance: The exact dosage and combination in a formula affect the entire body. Never try to mix or alter these formulas at home based on internet articles.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. Home Herbal Meals and Teas

Recipe 1: Fish Mint Tea

Ingredients: 3g dried Yu Xing Cao (Fish Mint) slices.
Method: Steep the dried herb in boiling water for 5 minutes. You can refill the water until the taste fades.
Best for: Summer days when damp-heat causes mild dry mouth, slightly dark urine, or a scratchy throat.
Warning: Not for those with a cold stomach or loose stools. Limit to 1 cup, max 2 times a week.

Recipe 2: Fish Mint Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients: 50g fresh Yu Xing Cao (Fish Mint) tender leaves/stems, 2 eggs.
Method: Wash and chop the herb. Scramble the eggs and set aside. Briefly stir-fry the herb for 1 minute, add the eggs back in, season with a little salt, and serve.
Best for: Routine wellness for people with a "damp-heat" body constitution.
Warning: Skip this if you are allergic or have a cold Spleen/Stomach. Limit to small portions, max 2 times a month.

2. Decoction and Processing Differences

Preparation: This herb is almost always used in its raw, dried form. It does not need special processing (like roasting or stir-frying with honey).
Brewing: You don't need to pre-boil it or put it in a special bag. Just brew it normally.
Dose Conversion: Remember that fresh herbs and dried herbs are not a 1:1 swap. 10 grams of dried herb is much stronger than 10 grams of fresh salad greens.

3. Dosage and Usage Cycle

Clinical Dose: Typically 10 to 15 grams in a professional prescription.
Dietary Dose: Keep it small—around 3 grams for tea or 50 grams of the fresh plant for cooking.
Cycle: Do not use this long-term. Because it is very cold, continuous use can damage your body's natural warmth (Yang energy). Use it for a maximum of 3 consecutive days. Always consult a professional for kids, the elderly, or those with organ dysfunction.

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. Who Should Avoid It

Cold Spleen/Stomach Types: If you are always cold, have icy hands and feet, or suffer from chronic loose stools, this herb will make you feel worse.
Pregnant and Nursing Women: There is not enough safety data, so it is best to avoid using it on your own.
Children and the Elderly: Their digestive systems are more fragile; use only under medical supervision.
Liver/Kidney Issues: The herb is metabolized by these organs, so use with caution to avoid adding extra stress to your system.
Allergy Sufferers: Avoid if you are allergic to plants in the Saururaceae family.

2. Drug Interactions and Dietary Notes

Medications: It may interact with blood thinners (increasing bleeding risk), blood pressure medications (causing pressure to drop too low), or diabetes drugs. Always consult your doctor if you are on prescription meds before trying this herb.
Diet: While using this herb, avoid eating other extremely cold or raw foods to prevent overwhelming your digestive system.

3. Adverse Reactions and Overdose Risks

Side Effects: While generally safe, some people might experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Allergies: Watch out for rashes, itching, or breathing difficulties.
Overdose: Taking too much can severely chill your digestive system, leading to stomach cramps and extreme coldness in the limbs.
Emergency: If you experience severe allergic reactions, persistent vomiting, or trouble breathing, stop use immediately and seek professional medical help.

Frequently Asked Questions About Yu Xing Cao

What is Yu Xing Cao? Are patrinia and dandelion the same?

Official Yu Xing Cao (鱼腥草) is the fresh whole herb or dried aerial part of Houttuynia cordata. The pharmacopoeial name is Houttuyniae Herba. Patrinia is acrid-bitter and slightly cold: clears heat, resolves toxin, dissipates abscesses and expels pus. Dandelion is bitter-sweet and cold: clears heat, resolves toxin, reduces swelling and disperses nodules. The three cannot be interchanged by equal weight. Write Yu Xing Cao. Use caution in vacuity cold patterns.

What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Yu Xing Cao?

According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Yu Xing Cao is acrid and slightly cold, enters the Lung channel, and acts to clear heat, resolve toxin, expel pus and dissipate abscesses, promote urination and free lin. It is used for Lung abscess with vomiting of pus, phlegm-heat panting and cough, heat dysentery, heat lin, and abscesses and sores. Acrid and slightly cold, it suits Lung heat with phlegm abscesses—not vacuity cold, or absence of heat.

How do you choose dried versus fresh herb? Can dandelion replace it?

Dried herb is stronger for clearing heat and expelling pus. Fresh herb is doubled in dose and purer. Dandelion leans to reducing swelling and dispersing nodules; it cannot replace promoting urination and freeing lin by equal weight. Commercial Houttuynia tea is not equal-weight pieces.

What is the usual dosage? Can it be drunk daily as a heat-clearing tea?

The pharmacopoeial decoction dose is 15–25 g, not long-decocted; fresh herb is doubled. It is not a four-season “Houttuynia heat-clearing tea.” Vacuity cold only loosens further as it cools. Lung abscess is an emergency; it does not replace hospital assessment.

What are the contraindications? Can it be used in pregnancy?

Use caution in vacuity cold patterns. Use caution in Spleen-Stomach vacuity cold. Pregnancy needs a practitioner’s assessment. Stop if diarrhea or abdominal pain appears. Lung abscess with vomiting of pus and heat lin need medical care.

Can Yu Xing Cao clear heat, resolve toxin, expel pus and dissipate abscesses, promote urination and free lin?

It can help Lung abscess with vomiting of pus and heat lin. It joins platycodon and winter melon seed in a Wei Jing Tang type modification. It clears heat, resolves toxin, expels pus and dissipates abscesses, promotes urination and frees lin—not a specific for every cough or every lin pattern.

Can Yu Xing Cao be drunk daily as a heat-clearing, pus or lin tea?

Lung heat with phlegm abscesses may enter a short formula; vacuity cold only loosens further as it cools. “Houttuynia must clear heat” does not replace assessment. Clearing heat, resolving toxin, expelling pus and dissipating abscesses should name 15–25 g added near the end.

How do you choose among Yu Xing Cao, patrinia, dandelion, platycodon and winter melon seed?

Houttuynia is acrid and slightly cold: clears heat, resolves toxin, expels pus and dissipates abscesses, promotes urination and frees lin—Lung abscess and heat lin. Patrinia is acrid-bitter and slightly cold: clears heat, resolves toxin, dissipates abscesses and expels pus—intestinal abscess. Dandelion is bitter-sweet and cold: clears heat, resolves toxin, reduces swelling and disperses nodules—abscesses. Platycodon is bitter-acrid and neutral: diffuses the Lung, benefits the throat, expels phlegm and expels pus—Lung abscess. Winter melon seed is sweet-cold: clears the Lung, transforms phlegm, drains dampness and expels pus—Lung abscess. Lung abscess favors Yu Xing Cao; intestinal abscess favors patrinia; abscesses favor dandelion; benefiting the throat favors platycodon; expelling pus favors winter melon seed. They may be paired after pattern differentiation; vacuity cold forbids large Yu Xing Cao and dandelion.

Which herbs is Yu Xing Cao combined with? What are the representative formulas?

Lung abscess with vomiting of pus joins platycodon, winter melon seed and reed rhizome in a Wei Jing Tang type modification. Write Yu Xing Cao 15–25 g added near the end; do not replace promoting urination and freeing lin with dandelion by equal weight.

How do you choose and store Yu Xing Cao?

Choose intact stems and leaves, a yellow-green or dark green surface, a fishy odor and a slightly astringent taste. Moldy, scentless or dirty lots are discarded. Store dry. Buy pharmacopoeial Yu Xing Cao; do not replace clearing heat, resolving toxin, expelling pus and dissipating abscesses, promoting urination and freeing lin with patrinia or dandelion by equal weight.

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Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.