Abstract: With the aboveground and underground part of H.cordata as raw materials, the changes of chemical components and effects of antibacterial activities of H.cordata were studied during desiccation and storage. The results indicated that: during desiccation, the contents of vitamin C, fat and flavone of H.cordata tend to declines, while the content of total sugar increases, and the content of protein did not change prominently. The content of vitamin C, fat, protein, flavone in H. cordata also decreased, however during storage and the contents of sugar increases. At the beginning and after one day of desiccation, the minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC))of the essential oil on Staph.aureus and Sarcina are 1/2×10-3 ml/ml, but after two, four and eight days, the MIC is 10-3 ml/ml; while with the increase of the MIC of the essential oil off the two bacteria is rises to 2×10-3 ml/ml after sixteen days of desication MIC of the essential oil also increases with the increase of storage time.

Key words: Houttuynia cordata Thunb, desiccation, storage, chemical component, antibacterial activity