This product is the mature seed kernel of the perennial herbaceous plant Coix lacryma-jobi (Coix lacryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen (Roman) Stapf) from the Poaceae family. It is produced in most regions of mainland China, mainly in Fujian, Hebei, and Liaoning. When the fruits mature in autumn, the plants are harvested, dried, and the fruits are threshed. They are then dried again, and the outer shell and seed coat are removed. It can be used raw or stir-fried.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Sweet and bland, slightly cold. act on spleen, stomach and lung channels.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Promoting urination and draining dampness, strengthening the spleen, relieving paralysis, clearing heat to drain pus.

bubble_chart Indications

1. Used for dysuria, edema, beriberi, and diarrhea due to spleen deficiency, etc. This product is sweet and tonifying, with a bland and draining nature, similar in function to Poria. It is particularly suitable for those with spleen deficiency and damp stagnation. For cases of spleen deficiency with severe dampness, such as edema, abdominal distension and fullness, poor appetite, diarrhea, and beriberi with swelling, it is often combined with Poria, White Atractylodes Rhizome, Astragalus Root, and other medicinal combinations. Additionally, due to its slightly cool nature, it can clear and drain damp-heat, making it also useful for heat stranguria. For example, the "Yang's Experiential Prescription" recommends using Coix Seed alone in decoction to treat heat stranguria with sand and stones.
2. Used for fixed arthralgia and spasms. This product can eliminate dampness, relax tendons, and alleviate spasms. For cases of wind-dampness with body pain and fever, it is often used with Ephedra, Bitter Apricot Seed, and Liquorice Root, as in the Ephedra, Bitter Apricot Seed, Coix Seed, and Licorice Decoction. For chronic wind-dampness with tendon spasms and edema, Coix Seed can be cooked into porridge, as in the "Shi Yi Xin Jing" Coix Seed Porridge. For damp-heat stagnation in the meridians, it can be used with Talc and Forsythia, as in the Impediment-Diffusing Decoction.
3. Used for lung abscess and intestinal abscess. This product clears heat from the lungs and intestines, expels pus, and resolves abscesses. For lung abscess with chest pain and coughing up purulent sputum, it is often used with reed stem, waxgourd seed, and Peach Kernel, as in the "Qianjin Fang" Phragmites Stem Decoction. For intestinal abscess, it can be combined with Aconite Lateral Root, Patrinia, and moutan bark, as in the Aconite Lateral Root Coix Patrinia Powder.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Benjing: "Mainly treats tendon stiffness and spasms, inability to bend or stretch, wind-dampness impediment, and lowering qi."
2. Bencao Gangmu: "Coix Seed is a Yangming medicine, capable of strengthening the spleen and benefiting the stomach. When there is deficiency, it nourishes the mother, hence it is used for lung atrophy and lung abscess. For diseases of the sinews and bones, treating the Yangming is fundamental, hence it is used for spasms, tendon stiffness, and migratory impediment. Earth can overcome water and eliminate dampness, hence it is used for diarrhea and edema."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Decoct and take 10-30g. Use raw for clearing and draining damp-heat, and stir-fried for strengthening the spleen and stopping diarrhea. This herb has a mild effect, so a larger dosage is recommended. In addition to being used in decoctions, pills, and powders, it can also be made into porridge, making it an excellent choice for food therapy.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

Coix Seed mainly contains Coix Seed oil, Coix Seed esters, fatty oils, amino acids, etc. Coix Seed oil can inhibit or reduce the contraction of striated muscles and has an excitatory effect on the uterus. Its fatty oil can decrease serum calcium and blood sugar levels, and has antipyretic, sedative, and analgesic effects. The decoction has a certain inhibitory effect on cancer cells.