Yu xing cao / fish-mint / chameleon plant
Houttuynia cordata
Other names: 鱼腥草 / 魚腥草 yúxīngcǎo; diếp cá, Yu xing cao / fish-mint / chameleon plant
Edible plantPhoto credit: Wikimedia Commons contributor
Safety information
Safety information
Toxicity: Low for the culinary herb. The injectable Houttuynia preparation used in China was associated with serious anaphylactic reactions and was restricted by regulators - injection-specific hazard, not a property of the edible herb; oral/food use generally low-risk.
Contraindications: Pregnancy/clinical data limited; known plant allergy.
Interactions: Not well characterized.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Data limited.
Evidence level
Supported by laboratory or animal studies; not yet confirmed in humans.
Preparations
decoction · aerial herb
Part used: aerial herb
Traditional use: clear heat and resolve toxicity, drains pus, promotes urination (lung-heat cough/abscess, antimicrobial-type)
Proposed mechanism: volatile compounds (houttuynin/decanoyl acetaldehyde), flavonoids (quercitrin)
edible · leaf/root
Part used: leaf/root
Traditional use: culinary herb/vegetable (Vietnam, SW China), raw in salads(Folk and historical sources have not been validated by clinical research.)
injectable · herb
Part used: herb
Traditional use: used in China (restricted)
Dosage note (descriptive only): FLAGGED - anaphylaxis risk
Associated conditions
Edibility
Edible parts: Leaves and root are a culinary herb/vegetable in Vietnam and SW China (distinctive fishy/coriander-like aroma), eaten raw in salads and with grilled foods.
Toxic lookalike warning
Heart-shaped leaves can resemble other groundcover plants; identify by characteristic fishy aroma and use food-grade herb only.
Nutritional notes
Functional leafy herb; flavonoids, volatile oil; modest vitamin/mineral contribution.
Healing traditions
Sources (2)
- Houttuynia cordata (Wikipedia), English, accessed 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houttuynia_cordata
- Houttuynia - Drugs.com natural database, English, https://www.drugs.com/npp/houttuynia.html