Poaceae
Job’s Tears
Coix lacryma-jobi
✓ Generally Safe
Caution in Pregnancy
Native to: Southeast Asia, East Asia
Also known as: Yi Yi Ren, Coix Seed, Adlay Millet, Pearl Barley Grass
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
Parts Used
Seed
Therapeutic Uses
Edema, urinary difficulties, joint pain and swelling (removes dampness — TCM), warts (topical/internal), cancer adjunct (Kanglaite — coixenolide injection in China), skin conditions, digestive weakness.
Herbal Actions
Diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antitumor (coixenolide), antifungal, immunomodulator, nutritive
Active Constituents
Coixenolide, coixol, fatty acids (palmitic, oleic — seed oil), amino acids, polysaccharides (coixan A, B, C), phytosterols, vitamins B and E
Preparation Methods
🍵 Decoction💊 Capsule
Traditional Preparation Notes
| Herbal Tea | 30–60g seeds simmered 45 min in 500ml, 2x daily (used as food-grade grain) |
| Tincture | Capsules: standardized extract 500mg 3x daily |
| Notes | Food-grade grain — can be cooked like rice or barley. Central in many TCM formulas for dampness conditions. Japanese Yi Yi Ren preparations for skin conditions. Kanglaite (injectable coixenolide) approved in China for cancer adjunct. |
Safety Information
Safety Rating
✓ Generally Safe
Pregnancy
Caution in Pregnancy
Drug Interactions
None known
Contraindications: Avoid in pregnancy (traditional uterotonic caution). May slow digestion — caution in constipation.
Side Effects: Constipation at high doses. GI discomfort. Very well tolerated generally.