Yi Yi Ren - 薏苡仁 - Semen Coicis - Job'S Tears - Coix Seed
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Semen Coicis |
| Common English: | Adlay Coix Seed False Pearly Barley Job’s Tears Seed |
Category
Herbs That Relieve Dampness (Diuretics)Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Sweet Bland | Slightly Cold (Cool) | Spleen Stomach Lung Kidney (Large Intestine) | 9-30g May use up to 60-90g Tincture: 2-4ml |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Strengthens the Spleen and resolves Dampness | Dampness Stagnation Spleen Deficiency Dampness with diarrhea, leg Qi, painful urinary dribbling Damp-Warmth (treats root and manifestations) |
Expels Wind-Dampness and relieves pain | Wind-Damp Bi (increases joint mobility and decreases spasms in chronic cases) for stiffness of the muscles, severe arthralgia and joint immobility |
Clears Heat and expels pus | Soft, pustulated carbuncles, Lung and Intestinal abscess |
Clears Damp-Heat | Any Damp-Heat condition at any level with a greasy, white tongue coat and digestive problems |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Semen Benincasae | Exocarpium Benincasae | Poria |
Scanty urine and edema due Damp Obstruction. Lung or Large Intestinal abscess that has formed pus. (large doses) | Dampness Obstructing the Channels with dark, scanty urine and fever. | Spleen Deficient diarrhea. |
| Fr. Chaenomelis | Rice Congee | Hb. Ephedrae |
| Summerheat-Dampness with vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, painful, heavy legs, softened sinews, leg Qi, and Damp painful obstruction. | Powder and cook as a daily food for Damp predominant Bi with swelling and hypertonicity. | Generalized body aches due to Wind-Dampness. |
| Cx. Moutan | Sm. Benincasae | Sm. Trichosanthis |
| Intestinal abscess. | Intestinal abscess with a stronger effect. | Dampness with Blood Stasis causing Intestinal abscess. (early-stage) |
| Sm. Armeniacae | Rz. Atractylodis | Poria |
Early-stage Damp-Warmth with Damp predominant. | Damp-Heat pouring downward leading to atrophy and weakness of the lower extremities. Wei (atrophy) Syndrome with muscle weakness due to Damp-Heat. | Spleen Deficiency with Excess Dampness and edema. |
Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae | Sm. Pruni | Sm. Plantaginis |
Accumulation of Dampness with Spleen Deficiency. | Shortness of breath due to water accumulation. | Re (Heat) Lin. |
Hb. Lygodii | Rx. Ginseng | Sm. Armeniacae |
Shi (Stone) Lin. | Spleen and Stomach Deficiencies with loose stools and reduced appetite. | Damp febrile disorders with feelings of oppression, in the chest, lack of appetite and a thick, greasy tongue coat. |
Hb. Ephedrae | Flos Lonicerae | Sm. Benincasae |
Wind-Damp Bi. | Acute appendicitis. | Lung abscess. |
| Rz. Phragmitis | Rx. Platycodi | |
Lung abscess with a stronger effect. | Suppurated Lung abscess with profuse, thick, bloody sputum. |
Notes
- It gently treats diarrhea from Spleen Deficiency, though Poria Fu Ling has stronger tonic properties.
- In chronic cases it works very well to relieve spasms and improve joint mobility.
- Long-term use of this herb is acceptable.
- It frequently appears in formulas for Bi Syndrome, skin diseases and bloating.
- For Bi syndrome, cook it with rice into a porridge and eat it daily.
- It is a kind of barley.
- It relieves numbness, nourishes the skin and treats plantar warts.
- It may inhibit ascites cancer and Yoshida's cancer.
- For Stomach and laryngeal cancer, Yoshida's sarcoma and malignant reticular cellular hyperplasia, decoct 30-60g together with Semen Oryzae Geng Mi and drink it throughout the year.
- According to one source, this herb nourishes the Lungs.
- Decocted with millet wine and taken orally, this herb treats cough from pulmonary abscess, pathogenic Dryness and disorders of the thorax. Any Blood Stasis in the Lung will be vomited up right away.
- An abscess during pregnancy can be treated by taking this herb frequently as a decoction.
- It expels Dampness without being as drying as either kind of Atractylodis, it does not damage the Yin as Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin or Rz. Coptidis Huang Lian can, and it tonifies Qi without aggravating Damp-Heat as Rx. Ginseng Ren Shen or Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu may.
- Dry-fried Coix Chao Yi Yi Ren works better to strengthen the Spleen and harmonize the Middle. Fried with bran, it is more effective at stopping diarrhea. Scorched, it relieves Food Stagnation and harmonizes the Stomach.
- Raw and cooked Coix dispensed together Shen Shu Yi Yi Ren is given for diarrhea from Spleen Deficiency with excessive Dampness.
- Coix Root Yi Yi Ren Gen is bitter, sweet and cold. It clears Heat and resolves Dampness, and is used for Damp-Heat urinary dysfunction, urinary stones, jaundice, leukorrhea, edema and Lung abscesses. It also expels parasites. Its dosage is 6-18g. It is contraindicated during pregnancy.
- Yi Yi Ren and Poria Fu Ling both strengthen the Spleen and drain Dampness. Yi Yi Ren, being cold, can clear Heat and is used for Lung or Intestinal abscesses and Lung atrophy. It also drains Dampness from the bones, muscles and sinews. Fu Ling is neutral, strengthens the Heart and Spleen and calms the Spirit.
- Yi Yi Ren and Sm. Benincasae Dong Gua Zi both clear Heat and expel pus. Yi Yi Ren is superior at strengthening the Spleen and draining Dampness, and is used for diarrhea, Bi Syndrome or edema caused by Dampness. Dong Gua Zi is slippery and eases movement in the Large Intestine. It is the better choice when Damp-Heat has built up in the Large Intestine, leading to constipation or irregular bowel movements with tenesmus.
From Class
- The 'ren' seeds of virtue: Tao Ren, Bai Zi Ren, Sha Ren, Xing Ren, Huo Ma Ren, Yi Yi Ren: The 'ren' seeds are allies for cultivating Ren (compassion); Yi Yi Ren represents postnatal qi aware of cultivation; take a few drops of tincture daily as ritual affirmation. (Yuen)
- Yi Yi Ren (Job's tears/'pearl barley'): Polished coix promotes diuresis and is very drying. (Yuen)
- Barley (Da Mai / 'Mou') — moistening: Moistening grain (as soup) that aids elimination; not the same as Job's tears (Yi Yi Ren), which is drying. (Yuen)
- Pearl barley (Yi Yi Ren) — Spleen to Lungs and Kidneys: Dries dampness starting in the Spleen as it travels down to the Kidneys — leg swelling, heavy low back, urinary frequency/difficulty. (Yuen)