Coix lacryma-jobi L.
Family: Poaceae
Synonyms: Coix agrestis Lour. , Coix agrestis var. maxima (Makino) Nakai , Coix arundinacea Lam. , Coix exaltata Jacq. ex Spreng. , Coix exaltata Jacq. , Coix gigantea J.Jacq., Coix lacryma L. [Illegitimate] , Coix lacryma-jobi var. lacryma-jobi , Coix lacryma-jobi var. maxima Makino , Coix lacryma-jobi var. novoguineensis Pilg. , Coix ouwehandii Koord. , Coix ovata Stokes, Coix palustris Koord. , Coix pendula Salisb. , Coix pumila Roxb. , Coix stigmatosa K.Koch & Bouché , Lithagrostis lacryma-jobi (L.) Gaertn. , Sphaerium lacryma (L.) Kuntze
Common name: Job’s Tears
Arabic: damu Ayub, damu Daud, دمع أيوب
Assamese: কোবামণি Kauramani
Bengali: গুৰগুৰ Gurgur
Chinese: 回回米, 薏苡
Czech: Slzovka obecná
Deutsch: Hiobsträne
Finnish: Jobinkyynelheinä
French: Larme de Job, Herbe à chapelets
Gujarati: ગરોલુ Garolu,કહુદો Kahudo, કસઇ Kasai
Hindi: संक्रू Samkru, गुर्लू Gurlu
Indonesian: Jali
Japanese: hatomugi
Japanese: ジュズダマ
Kannada: Manjutti, ಅಶ್ರು ಬೀಜ Ashru bija
Khasi: Sohriu
Konkani: रान झांधळो Ran Jamdhlo
Korean: 율무
Malayalam: Kattugotampu കാട്ടുഗോതമ്പ്
Manipuri: চনিঙ Chaning
Marathi: रानमका Ran-maka, Kasai, रान जोंधळा Ran Jondhala
Polish: Łzawnica ogrodowa
Russian: ジュズダマ
Sanskrit: गवेधुका Gavedhuka
Spanish: lagrima de San Pedro
Tamil: காட்டு குந்டுமணி Kattu kundumani, குறத்திப்பாசி Kuratti-p-paci
Telugu: Adavi guruginja
Vietnamese: Bo bo
Description: Robust annual herbs. Culms 30-120 cm high, tufted; nodes glabrous. Leaves 10-45 x 1-2.5 cm, linear-oblong, cordate at base, margin scaberulous, acuminate at apex; sheaths to 6 cm long, glabrous; ligules ovate, membranous. Inflorescence terminal and axillary peduncled, false spikes,3-8 cm long, consisting of one female spikelet completely enclosed in a globose or ovoid basal cupule like bract. Male spikelets 2 or 3, exerted from the mouth of cupule, 5-12 x 2-4 mm, elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate. Lower glume 4-8 x 2-4 mm, ovate-elliptic, 2-keeled, winged on keels. Upper glume 3-7 x 2-3 mm, elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate. Lower floret male. Upper floret male or barren. First lemma 4-8 x 1.5-2.5 mm, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, hyaline. Palea 4-8 x 1.5-2.5 mm, elliptic-lanceolate or lanceolate, 2-keeled. Stamens 3, anthers 3-4 mm long. Second lemma 4-7 x 1-2 mm, elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate; hyaline. Palea 4-7 x 1-1.5 mm, elliptic-lanceolate, hyaline. Stamens 3; anthers 3-5 mm long. Female spikelets 4-14 mm long, globose or ovoid, bony, shining white or grey. Lower glume ovate-oblong, acute. Upper glume ovate. Lower floret female or barren. Upper floret female. Caryopsis 5-7 mm, subglobose, furrowed in the middle.
Used in Ayurveda, Unani and Sidha. Plant anti-hypoglycemic, antiinflammatory, antiproliferative, used for cancer therapy. Leaves decoction drunk against headache, rheumatism and diabetes; leaves juice with leaf juice of Aegle marmelos given as purgative. Roots decoction used as a vermifuge and to treat dysentery, diarrhea, gonorrhea and menstrual disorders. Sap of the stem applied against insect bites. Grain and flour diuretic, tonic, depurative, antiinflammatory, antitumour. Fruits tonic, antipyretic, antiproliferative, antiseptic, astringent and antispasmodic; decoction of beads taken for
menorrhagia, dysentery, puerperal fever.[CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology]
A decoction is believed to benefit the blood and breath and used to wash newborns to prevent diseases. The kernels are used to treat lung and chest complaints, rheumatism, dropsy and gonorrhoea. Fruit is used for intestinal or lung cancers and warts. The fruit is also used as a vermifuge and for hypertension. As the seed is diuretic and refrigerant, a decoction is used for appendicitis, arthritis, beriberi, bronchitis, cancer, diarrhoea, dryskin, dysuria, oedema, hydrothorax, inflammation, pleurisy, pneumonia, pulmonary abscesses, rheumatism and tuberculosis. Seeds are also used for the treatment of enteritis, persistent diarrhoea in children, urinary lithiasis, rheumatism and acrodynia. An infusion of the seeds is prescribed for bronchitis, pulmonary abscess, pleurisy and hydrothorax. The root is given along with roots of long pepper and other herbs for fever with drying of saliva and intense thirst, for dysentery, diarrhoea and puerperal fever. Toxicity: Embryotoxicity in pregnant rats was observed. Oral administration of 1 g/kg body weight of water extracts caused an increase in foetal resorptions and postimplantation mortality. [A Guide to Medicinal Plants An Illustrated, Scientific and Medicinal Approach]
Fruits—a decoction is used for catarrhal affections of the air passage and inflammation of the urinary tract. Seed—diuretic. Root—used in menstrual disorders. Leaves—used as a drink for inducing fertility in women. [Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary]
The Arab travellers in the East became acquainted with the fruits and named them “Damu D´aud” (David’s tears) and afterward Damu Ay´ub (Job’s tears). Es-S´agh´ani, who died about the year 1260, mentions them in the Ob´ab as strenghtening and diuretic. The Arabs introduced the plant in Spain and Portugal, where it became naturalized as “lagrima de Job”. The fruits of Coix lacryma-jobi L. are used as food, to promote urination, appetite, to combat fever, to treat anxiety, rheumatism, dropsy, gonorrhea and to remove warts throughout China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia. In India, the fruits are used to loose weight, to strengthen and to promote urination, while the roots are used to assuage menstrual discomforts. [Medicinal Plants of the Asia-Pacific: Drugs for the Future?]
Seed, root: Coixenolide, coixol, protein, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, polysaccharides, triglycerides, phospholipids, benzoxaxinones, adenosine, benzoxazinones
Claimed Therapeutical Values: For intestinal or lung cancers and warts; antitumor, antirheumatic, diuretic, refrigerant. [Taiwanese Native Medicinal Plants Phytopharmacology and Therapeutic Values]
279 Published articles of Coix lacryma-jobi
Naravelia zeylanica (L.) DC.
