Chinese Bulk Herbs – Job’s Tears (Yi Yi Ren)

Since coix seeds, also known as Job’s Tears, are diuretic, anti-swelling, pus-expelling and cooling, they work well on stiff and painful joints in suffers from arthritis and rheumatism. Yi Yi Ren also works on warts and eczema.

These actually aren’t the tears spent from a hard day’s work, but rather the seeds of the adlay millet plant native to China. It has been used for many purposed throughout history, including food production and the crafting of beer. It enjoys a respected place among the herbs of Chinese medicine.

It has the actions of inducing diuresis, alleviating edema and invigorating spleen without consuming genuine qi and the actions are similar to the actions of Fu Ling. It is suitable for edema, abdominal fullness, and dysuria due to spleen deficiency.
It has the actions of invigorating spleen, draining and eliminating dampness to check diarrhea. It is suitable for diarrhea due to spleen deficiency.
It can remove dampness as well as soothe muscle and tendon to relax spasm. It is suitable for damp-arthralgia manifested as pain and spasm of tendons.
It can clear heat in lung and drain dampness in intestine and stomach to expel pus and cure abscess.

Clinical Use (Chinese):
Diuretic invigorates the Spleen, alleviates arthritis, expels Pathogenic Heat, facilitates the drainage of pus.

Latin Name:
Coicis lachrymajobi
Coix lacryma-jobi

Chinese Name:
Yi Yi Ren

Common Names:
Job’s tears, coix seed, adlay, adlay millet, Chinese pearl barley, gromwell grass, tear grass, semen coicis lachryma-jobi, calandula

Parts Used:
Dried ripe kernel

Properties:
Sweet and bland in flavor, slightly cold in property, acts on the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung channels.

Cautions:
None at this time.

*Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

**This information is provided to assist trained practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine with selection of products. If you are not familiar with these formulas or concepts, please consult an acupuncturist or herbal practitioner trained in the use of Chinese herbs or refer to more in-depth reference materials. Chinese herbal remedies are meant to improve health and function, not act as a substitute for medical care.