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Coix seed (Yi Yi Ren) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, characterized by its cool nature, milky white color with light brown grooves, and sweet taste. This herb grows in damp, shady areas and matures in the autumn. Coix seed is rich in amino acids, proteins, and various trace elements. However, before consuming coix seed, it is essential to understand its efficacy and methods of consumption to fully utilize its benefits. Below, we will introduce the functions and effects of coix seed.
Coix seed is also known as Yi Yi, Yi Mi, Yi Ren Mi, and Gou Zi Mi.
The plant is an annual or perennial herb. The fibrous roots are relatively thick, with a diameter of up to 3 mm. The stem is erect, 1 to 1.5 meters tall, with about 10 nodes. The leaves are linear-lanceolate, up to 30 cm long and 1.5 to 3 cm wide, with rough edges and a thick midrib that is prominent on the back; the leaf sheath is smooth, with the upper part shorter than the internodes; the leaf tongue is hard, about 1 mm long. The racemose inflorescence is axillary; the female spikelets are located at the lower part of the inflorescence, surrounded by a hard, bead-like glume, which is approximately the same length as the spikelet; the fertile spikelet has a membranous lower lemma and a thick, papery upper lemma with a blunt tip; the second lemma is boat-shaped, enclosed within the first lemma, with a thick, papery tip that tapers; the second outer glume is shorter than the first outer glume; the inner glume is similar to the outer glume but smaller, with three stamens that are degenerated; the pistil has a long style; the sterile spikelet is degenerated into a long cylindrical lemma. The male spikelets are often 2 to 3 per node; the first lemma of the sessile male spikelet is flat, with both sides folded inward to form a ridge with uneven wings, blunt at the tip, with multiple veins; the second lemma is boat-shaped and also has multiple veins; both the outer and inner glumes are membranous; there are three stamens; the pedicellate male spikelet is similar to the sessile one but smaller or more degenerated. The lemma is covered by a hard glume, oval or ovoid in shape. The flowering period is from July to September, and the fruiting period is from September to October.
Coix seed is the seed of the plant Coix lacryma-jobi. In the autumn, after the fruit matures, the whole plant is harvested, dried, and the fruits are threshed, removing the outer shell and the yellow-brown skin, cleaning the impurities, and collecting the seeds for drying.
Meridian Affinity: Spleen, Stomach, Lung.
Taste and Properties: Sweet, Bland, Cool.
Functions and Indications: Strengthens the Spleen and drains dampness, alleviates pain and stops diarrhea, clears heat and expels pus. It is used for edema, beriberi, difficult urination, dampness obstructing the channels, Spleen deficiency diarrhea, lung abscess, intestinal abscess; flat warts.
Dosage: 9 to 30 grams.
The Efficacy and Functions of Coix Seed and Methods of Consumption
1. Strengthening the Body
Coix seed is rich in protein and amino acids, which are essential nutrients for the human body. Consuming coix seed can supplement the body’s protein deficiency, enhance resistance, and improve immunity. It plays a significant role in strengthening the immune system, effectively contributing to longevity, making it particularly suitable for health maintenance in the elderly.
2. Analgesic and Antipyretic Effects
Coix seed mainly contains coixenolide, coixol, and coixan, which have good antipyretic effects against fever caused by polysaccharides formed by bacterial complexes. It also has calming effects; if you have been feeling irritable lately, consuming coix seed can help calm your emotions, and you will find that your mood improves without you even realizing it, while fatigue and irritability gradually fade away. These are some of the benefits of coix seed.
3. Methods of Consumption
Coix seed can be stewed with pig lung to make a delicious soup. Clean the coix seed and soak it for two to three hours, clean the pig lung, and then put them together in a stew pot to cook until done. Once cooked, the whole family can gather together to enjoy a wonderful meal time.
Anti-tumor Formulas
Treatment for Cancer: The Shennong Bencao Jing states: “Eliminates the evil qi of the muscles and bones, benefits the intestines and stomach, reduces edema, and promotes appetite.” The Yao Xing Lun states: “Decoction can break the five streams of toxic swellings.” The Yao Xue Ren Men states: “Mainly for qi deficiency, chest obstruction.” Commonly used for treating lung pain, liver pain, gastric cancer, and choriocarcinoma, especially for those with internal heat and dampness, and wind-damp obstruction leading to heat accumulation.
Treatment for Lung Cancer: 20 grams of coix seed, 30 grams of golden buckwheat, 12 grams of peach kernel, 6 grams of stink bug, and 15 grams of guanguan vine. Decoction three times, each time for 20 minutes, combine the decoction, and take in three doses, with one dose every month for 15 days (from Anti-tumor: Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Cancer).
Treatment for Liver Cancer: Fresh coix seed, 30 grams each of herbaceous plants such as Hedyotis diffusa, Salvia miltiorrhiza, and oyster shell, 9 grams each of Codonopsis pilosula and earthworm, 12 grams of fried pangolin, and 15 grams each of seaweed, soapberry thorn, and summer withered grass, decocted daily (from Anti-tumor: Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Cancer).
Treatment for Gastric Cancer: 30 grams each of coix seed, white peony, Siberian ginseng, and soft jujube root, and 9 grams each of sparganium and curcuma. Decoction daily (from Anti-tumor: Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Cancer).
Treatment for Choriocarcinoma: 30 grams each of coix seed, red bean, winter melon seed, and houttuynia, 15 grams each of astragalus, Hedyotis diffusa, and angelica, 9 grams each of donkey-hide gelatin and codonopsis, and 6 grams of licorice. Decoction daily. For abdominal masses, add cattail pollen and five-spice; for internal bleeding, add charcoal of guanzhong; for abdominal distension, add magnolia flower; for chest pain, add turmeric and dried tangerine peel; for coughing blood, add white peony and madder (from Diagnosis and Treatment of Tumors).
Additionally, the anti-tumor injection extracted from coix seed, Kanglaite, can be administered intravenously and used for arterial infusion, widely applied in the treatment of lung cancer, liver cancer, and colorectal cancer.
Selected Formulas
1. For patients with body aches, fever, and severe symptoms in the afternoon, known as rheumatism, this condition is caused by sweating in the wind or prolonged exposure to cold: 15 grams of ephedra (remove nodes), 30 grams of licorice (roasted), 15 grams of coix seed, and 10 pieces of apricot kernel (peeled and roasted). Grind to a powder, take 4 grams, boil with 1.5 cups of water until reduced to 1 cup, strain and take warm, avoiding wind (from Jin Kui Yao Lue – Ephedra, Apricot Kernel, Coix Seed, and Licorice Decoction).
2. For rheumatic obstruction, limb weakness, and lumbar pain: 500 grams of coix seed, 200 grams each of mulberry parasite, angelica, and Chinese angelica, and 200 grams of water-soaked rice. Divide into 16 doses, decoct and take (from Guang Ji Fang).
3. For chronic rheumatism, tonifying qi, benefiting the intestines and stomach, reducing edema, and eliminating evil qi from the chest, treating muscle and tendon spasms: grind coix seed into powder, cook with polished rice to make porridge, and consume daily (from Gang Mu – Coix Seed Porridge).
4. To dispel wind-dampness, strengthen bones, and tonify the spleen and stomach: coix seed powder, mixed with fermented rice to brew wine, or bagged and boiled to drink (from Gang Mu – Coix Seed Wine).
5. For edema and shortness of breath: 60 grams of yuliren. Grind, filter the juice, and cook coix seed rice, consuming twice daily (from Du Xing Fang).
6. For lung atrophy with purulent blood: 300 grams of coix seed. Crush, boil with 3 liters of water until reduced to 1 liter, add a little wine and take (from Mei Shi Ji Yan Fang).
7. For lung abscess with cough and sputum, and chest obstruction: boil coix seed in strong bitter wine until concentrated, take warm. If there is blood in the lungs, it should be expelled (from Fan Wang Fang).
8. For lung abscess with hemoptysis: 300 grams of coix seed. Mash, boil with 2 large cups of water, add a little wine, and divide into two doses (from Ji Sheng Fang).
9. For intestinal abscess, with symptoms of abdominal pain, pressing reveals a swollen state, no accumulation in the abdomen, no fever, and rapid pulse, indicating pus in the intestines: 100 grams of coix seed, 2 grams of aconite, and 5 grams of Hedyotis diffusa. Grind the three ingredients into powder, take a spoonful with 2 liters of water, decoct until reduced by half, and take warm; urination should occur (from Jin Kui Yao Lue – Coix Seed, Aconite, and Hedyotis Diffusa Powder).
10. For intestinal abscess: 1 liter of coix seed, 150 grams each of peony root and peach kernel, and 2 liters of melon seeds. Combine the four ingredients, boil with 6 liters of water until reduced to 2 liters, and take in two doses (from Qian Jin Fang).
11. For diabetes with excessive thirst: cook coix seed porridge and drink, and eat the porridge (from Gang Mu).
12. For heat dysuria with unbearable pain: use jade seed (all parts can be used), boil in water and drink hot in summer, or cold in winter, as needed (from Yang Shi Jing Yan Fang).
Note: This article is for reference only; please follow medical advice for specific treatments and medications!This public account is only for academic exchange.
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