Houttuynia cordata-A Review on Exploring its Diverse Phytochemical and Therapeutic Potential and Unveiling Ethnobotanical Insights into its Traditional and Nutritional Uses

Introduction: Houttuniya cordata, or fish mint, is a medicinal plant with thin rhizomes from the Saururaceae family, traditionally used in South and East Asian cultures, especially in India and China. Known for its medicinal benefits, it treats ailments such as bronchitis, malaria, lung disorders, skin ulcers, and viral infections. Its names vary across cultures, with “Zu-Zi” in China, “Dokudame” in Japan, and “Mashundary” in Assam, India. Houttuniya cordata is used in multiple forms, including salads, juices, and beverages valued for both culinary and therapeutic properties. Methods: Using pertinent keywords, a thorough literature search was conducted across several databases, yielding 2,465 results (2,460 from databases and 5 from other sources). Title and abstract screening eliminated 480 items out of 980 after duplication removal. After reading all 500 articles, 374 were deemed unsuitable due to factors such as insufficient data, language issues, irrelevance, or editorial content. Innovative techniques and relevance ultimately led to the inclusion of 126 research. Data availability and research quality helped improve the selection criteria, which followed PRISMA guidelines. The six areas that were focused on were nutritional value, ethnobotany, traditional applications, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity. Results: Houttuniya cordata has been found to possess a range of essential activities due to the presence of diverse phytoconstituents, among which important classes include flavonoids, phenols, glycosides, polysaccharides, and alkaloids. They showed a diverse range of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-mutagenic, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-asthmatic, anti-herpes, anti-allergic properties, cytotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and more Discussion: Houttuniya cordata, with its diverse phytochemicals, offers various pharmacological benefits and exhibits broad therapeutic potential. However, there is a necessity for further in vivo and toxicity studies. Conclusion: The review aims to provide an updated insight into the Nutritional significance, Ethnobotany, Ethnomedicine, Pharmacological aspects, phytochemistry, and Toxicological aspects of Houttuniya cordata to evaluate its current value and potential for future research.