We have investigated the use of flash evaporation, headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and steam distillation (SD) as sample concentration and preparation techniques for the analysis of volatile constituents present in Houttuynia cordata Thunb. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and identified by mass spectrometry (MS).Comparison studies were performed. It was found that the results obtained between Headspace solid-phase microextraction HS-SPME and SD techniques were in good agreement. Seventy-nine compounds in Houttuynia cordata Thunb were identified by MS. In flash evaporation, thirty-nine compounds were identified. Discrimination in the response for many constituents studied was not observed, which can be clearly observed in SD and HS-SPME techniques. As a conclusion,HS-SPME is a powerful tool for determining the volatile constitutes present in the Houttuynia cordata.