Coix Seed (Yìyǐrén) is the dried mature seed of the plant Coix lacryma-jobi, which belongs to the Poaceae family. Coix Seed is also known as Job’s tears and is a perennial herb. It is listed as a superior herb in both the Shennong Bencao Jing and Bencao Gangmu.
Coix Seed has a sweet taste and a slightly cold nature. It is primarily used for treating muscle spasms, rheumatic pain, and to promote urination.
Coix Seed is not only a medicinal herb but also a beneficial food therapy ingredient, known for its ability to promote diuresis, drain dampness, strengthen the spleen, and stop diarrhea.
Modern pharmacological studies indicate that Coix Seed also has effects in preventing and treating hypertension, enhancing immunity, lowering blood sugar, and exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties.
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Effects of Coix Seed
Coix Seed is cool in nature, sweet and bland in taste, and enters the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians. It has the effects of promoting diuresis, draining dampness, strengthening the spleen, stopping diarrhea, alleviating pain, expelling pus, detoxifying, and resolving masses. It is used for edema, beriberi, urinary difficulties, spleen deficiency diarrhea, dampness obstructing the meridians, lung abscess, intestinal abscess, warts, and tumors.
Edema, Beriberi, Urinary Difficulties
This herb is bland and promotes diuresis, which can reduce swelling and strengthen the spleen. It is commonly used for edema and abdominal distension due to spleen deficiency with dampness, and urinary difficulties. It can be combined with Poria (Fú Lìng), Atractylodes (Bái Zhú), and Astragalus (Huáng Qí); for treating edema with shortness of breath, Jíyàn Dúxíng Fāng suggests cooking it with the juice of Yuli Ren. For beriberi with swelling, it can be used with Stephania (Fángjǐ), Papaya (Mùguā), and Atractylodes.
Spleen Deficiency Diarrhea
This herb can drain dampness from the spleen and strengthen the spleen to stop diarrhea, especially suitable for diarrhea due to spleen deficiency with excess dampness. It is often combined with Ginseng (Rénshēn), Poria, and Atractylodes, such as in the formula Shēn Lìng Bái Zhú Sǎn (from Héjì Júfāng).
Dampness Obstructing the Meridians
This herb drains dampness and alleviates pain, relaxing the muscles and tendons.
It is commonly used for treating dampness obstructing the meridians with spasms and pain, and can be combined with Angelica (Dú Huó), Siler (Fēng Wēng), and Atractylodes.
If damp-heat syndrome presents with numbness in the lower limbs, weakness, swelling, and pain, it is often combined with Phellodendron (Huáng Bǎi), Atractylodes, and Achyranthes (Niúxī), such as in the formula Sì Miào Sǎn (from Chéng Fāng Biàn Dú).
This herb has a cool nature, which can clear heat and drain dampness, used for early-stage damp-warmth or summer dampness affecting the Qi level, with symptoms of headache, chills, and heaviness in the body. It is often paired with Bitter Apricot (Kǔ Xìng Rén), Cardamom (Bái Kòu Rén), and Talc (Huà Shí), such as in the formula Sān Rén Tāng (from Wēn Bìng Tiáo Biàn).
Lung Abscess, Intestinal Abscess
This herb clears heat from the lungs and intestines, expelling pus and resolving abscesses.
For treating lung abscess with chest pain and coughing up purulent phlegm, it is often used with Reed (Wěi Jīng), Winter Melon Seed (Dōngguā Rén), and Peach Kernel (Táo Rén), such as in the formula Wěi Jīng Tāng (from Qiānjīn Yàofāng). For intestinal abscess, it can be combined with Aconite (Fùzǐ) and Patrinia (Bàijiàngcǎo), such as in the formula Yìyǐ Fùzǐ Bàijiàng Sǎn (from Jīn Guì Yàolüè).
Warts, Tumors
Coix Seed can detoxify and resolve masses. Clinically, it can also be used for warts and tumors.
Modern pharmacological studies show that decoctions, alcohol, and acetone extracts of Coix Seed have significant inhibitory effects on cancer cells. Coix Seed lactone has an inhibitory effect on the small intestine. Its fatty oil can lower serum calcium and blood sugar levels, and has antipyretic, sedative, analgesic, and immune-regulating effects.
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How to Use Coix Seed
Coix Seed and Job’s Tears Porridge
50 grams of Coix Seed, 30 grams of Job’s Tears, 150 grams of Yam, a small amount of Carrot, an appropriate amount of Green Peas, and rock sugar to taste. Grind the Coix Seed and Job’s Tears into coarse powder and soak in water beforehand. Cut the Yam and Carrot into small cubes, blanch the Green Peas. Add Yam to boiling water, then add the soaked Coix Seed and Job’s Tears mixture, boil, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add Green Peas and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Sweeten with rock sugar to taste.
This porridge has the effects of strengthening the spleen, benefiting the stomach, aiding digestion, and nourishing the kidneys.
Coix Seed and Pork Rib Soup
500 grams of pork ribs, 30 grams of dried seaweed, 50 grams of Coix Seed, and an appropriate amount of Winter Melon. 5 slices of Ginger and salt to taste. Blanch the pork ribs, soak and steam the dried seaweed, cut the Winter Melon into large pieces, and rinse the Coix Seed. In a clay pot, add enough water, bring to a boil, skim off the foam, add Ginger and Coix Seed, and simmer for 1 hour. Add Winter Melon and seaweed, continue to simmer for another half hour, and season to taste.
This soup has the effect of clearing heat and expelling dampness, making it a good remedy for the summer heat.
Coix Seed and Duck Meat Soup
250 grams of duck meat, 150 grams of Winter Melon, and 30 grams of Coix Seed. 15 grams of cooking wine, salt, and pepper to taste. Cut the duck meat into pieces, blanch, and rinse; peel and seed the Winter Melon, cut into pieces. In a pot, add duck pieces and Coix Seed, add enough water, bring to a boil, skim off the foam, add cooking wine, and simmer for 1 hour. Add Winter Melon and salt, continue to cook for 20 minutes, and season with pepper.
This soup has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, promoting diuresis, and expelling dampness.
Precautions: Since Coix Seed is a diuretic and has a cool nature, it is suitable for those with phlegm-damp and damp-heat constitutions. Those with severe spleen and stomach deficiency and cold should avoid long-term use. Pregnant women and those with dry stools or constipation should avoid it; those with nocturnal emissions or frequent urination should not consume it.
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How to Select Coix Seed?
🔸Select shiny Coix Seeds: When purchasing Coix Seeds, check for shine; shiny, plump seeds indicate good maturity and high nutrition.
🔸Check the color of Coix Seeds: Coix Seeds are generally white or yellowish-white, with an even color and a slight powdery texture.
🔸Rub and smell the Coix Seeds: When selecting Coix Seeds, rub them between your hands; they should feel smooth and emit a pleasant rice aroma. If they have a strong chemical scent, they may be artificially flavored.
🔸Taste the Coix Seeds: Good Coix Seeds should taste sweet (or slightly sweet) and have a light flavor.
🔸Be cautious, as some inferior, moldy Coix Seeds may contain aflatoxins, which should be avoided.
Author’s Profile
Xu Yanru Chief Chinese Medicine Pharmacist
Henan UniversityFirst Affiliated Hospital, Pharmacy Department
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Reviewed by | Liu Wei
