Houttuynia cordata , Fish leaf, heart leaf , Hungya(Kurung Kumey Nyishi)
Houttuynia cordata
Common name:- Fish leaf, heart leaf etc.
Vernacular name:- Hungya(Kurung Kumey Nyishi)
Family:- Saururaceae
Description
Requires a moist to wet soil or shallow water, partial shade and a sheltered position. Whilst it grows best in a bog garden, it will succeed in moist garden borders. It is widely used as chutney & salad by tribals of Arunachal Pradesh. It is available nearby terrace field or growing along with paddy & sometimes described as weeds.
Edible_Uses
Tender young shoots and leaves - raw or cooked as a vegetable by people of Arunachal Pradesh & other Asian countries. Their leaves are trongly aromatic according to one report whilst others say that it is rather smelly and somewhat like rotten fish. Our experience is that the leaves have a delicious orange-like smell and make a marvellous flavouring in salads. One report says that there are two distinct chemotypes of this species. Plants from Japan have an orange scent, whilst those from China have a smell resembling coriander leaves (Coriandrum sativum).
Some people seem to really like this leaf, others are indifferent to it or strongly dislike it. It also varies quite considerably according to the time of year. In the spring and summer it has a very acceptable flavour, but by autumn a distinct bitterness has crept in. No further details, but the fruit is a capsule that contains many small seeds.
medicinal_use
The whole plant is antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antiphlogistic, antiviral, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, hypoglycaemic, laxative and ophthalmic. A decoction is used internally in the treatment of many ailments including cancer, coughs, dysentery, enteritis and fever. Its use is said to strengthen the immune system. Externally, it is used in the treatment of snake bites and skin disorders. The leaves and stems are harvested during the growing season and used fresh in decoctions.
The leaf juice is antidote and astringent.
A root extract is diuretic. The root is also said to be used in medicinal preparations for certain diseases of women.
The rhizomes yield a sterol, resembling sitosterol, which stimulates the secretion of antibiotic substances from a gram-positive spore-forming bacillus. An active substance, effective in the treatment of stomach ulcers, has been extracted from the plant.
Moto of uploading this species:- To let the people(those who are unknown bout this particular plant) know about this plant & how useful it is as medicine.
Note:- I strongly advice against eating & using of plant as medicine by without knowing anything from the expert.
Reference
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