Houttuynia Cordata and Pork Lung Soup,From *Proven Tea, Decoction, and Soup Recipes for Common Ailments*,Clears heat and resolves phlegm. Suitable for chronic bronchitis of the “phlegm-heat obstructing the lungs” type.
the formula leans toward clearing and moistening; those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold, excess damp-phlegm, or yang deficiency should not take it for long
Commentary
At the head stands Fresh houttuynia cordata, the sovereign, nature cool, flavor pungent, channeled into the Lung; it clears heat, resolves toxicity, expels pus, and promotes diuresis, underpinning the principal thrust of the decoction. These are joined ministerially by pork lung (of neutral nature and sweet flavor, entering the Lung, tonifies lung qi and relieves cough), reinforcing the sovereign’s main effect. Viewed as a whole, the formula addresses the phlegm-heat presentation, treating both root and branch.