Is Houttuynia cordata poisonous?

Substances contained in Houttuynia cordata

Modern scientific verification has shown that Houttuynia cordata contains aristolochic acid, a substance called aristolochic acid. It is because of this substance that the saying that Houttuynia cordata is poisonous has become popular. So, is Houttuynia cordata really poisonous? Is the substance aristolochic acid lactone harmful to the human body?

Is Houttuynia cordata harmful?

Experts have confirmed that the netizens' statement confuses the two substances "aristolochic lactam" and "aristolochic acid". The aristolochic lactam contained in Houttuynia cordata and aristolochic acid are highly nephrotoxic. There is currently no saying that "aristolochic lactam is toxic". Houttuynia cordata basically does not contain aristolochic acid, and the content of aristolochic lactam is also extremely low.

"The most powerful evidence is that there has been no case of kidney damage caused by eating Houttuynia cordata so far." Yes, the editor has not heard of anyone getting sick from eating Houttuynia cordata, so everyone can eat Houttuynia cordata with confidence!

The principles of eating Houttuynia cordata

Even though Houttuynia cordata is considered non-toxic, you should not eat too much of it. Experts say that Houttuynia cordata is a wild vegetable and has not been artificially cultivated or domesticated for many years. "People with a cold constitution will suffer from stomach damage if they eat too much Houttuynia cordata, so they should eat less. It is recommended to eat it twice a week."

So, don’t be greedy!