<p><i>Paederia foetida</i> L. (known by the local name as Jishiteng), A perennial vine plant of the Rubiaceae family, has been utilized for both medicinal and edible purposes in China for over three centuries. To date, 208 phytochemical constituents have been identified, including volatile oils, phenolic compounds, terpenoids and their derivatives, fatty acids, and others. These bioactive components are associated with its pharmacological properties, including gastrointestinal modulatory and antiparasitic, hepatorenal protective, glycemic modulatory, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, and other activities. This paper systematically reviews the botany, traditional edible uses, nutritional composition, phytochemical constituents, and bioactivities of <i>P. foetida</i>. Notably, it presents the first comprehensive evaluation of its potential applications in functional food development, thereby providing a basis for future research and utilization in nutraceutical industries.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>