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World J Clin Oncol. Dec 24, 2023; 14(12): 593-605
Published online Dec 24, 2023. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v14.i12.593
Anti-tumor effect of coix seed based on the theory of medicinal and food homology
Fan-Di Meng, Ling Yuan, Dou-Dou Lu, Ya-Ting Yang, Duo-Jie Xu, Meng-Ying Che, Yi Nan
Fan-Di Meng, Dou-Dou Lu, Ya-Ting Yang, Duo-Jie Xu, Meng-Ying Che, Traditional Chinese Medicine College, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China
Ling Yuan, College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China
Yi Nan, Key Laboratory of Ningxia Minority Medicine Modernization Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China
Author contributions: Meng FD, Lu DD, Yang YT, Xu DJ, Che MY and Nan Y designed the research study; Meng FD, Yang YT, Che MY and Yuan L collected the literature, Yuan L, Meng FD and Xu DJ analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript; All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by Ningxia Natural Science Foundation, No. 2022AAC02039; Ningxia Key Research and Development Program, No. 2023BEG02015; National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82260879.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare having no conflict of interests for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yi Nan, MD, PhD, Professor, Key Laboratory of Ningxia Minority Medicine Modernization Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, No. 1160 Shengli Street, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. 20080011@nxmu.edu.cn
Received: October 19, 2023
Peer-review started: October 19, 2023
First decision: October 24, 2023
Revised: October 26, 2023
Accepted: November 24, 2023
Article in press: November 24, 2023
Published online: December 24, 2023
Processing time: 63 Days and 17.9 Hours
Abstract

Coix seed is a dry and mature seed of Coix lacryma-jobi L.var.ma-yuen (Roman.) Stapf in the Gramineae family. Coix seed has a sweet, light taste, and a cool nature. Coix seed enters the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians. It has the effects of promoting diuresis and dampness, strengthening the spleen to prevent diarrhea, removing arthralgia, expelling pus, and detoxifying and dispersing nodules. It is used for the treatment of edema, athlete's foot, poor urination, spleen deficiency and diarrhea, dampness and obstruction, lung carbuncle, intestinal carbuncle, verruca, and cancer. The medicinal and health value is high, and it has been included in the list of medicinal and food sources in China, which has a large development and application space. This article reviews the current research achievements in the processing methods and anti-tumor activities of Coix seed and provides examples of its clinical application in ancient and modern times, aiming to provide reference for further research on Coix seed and contribute to its clinical application and development. Through the analysis of the traditional Chinese patent medicines, and simple preparations and related health food of Coix seed queried by Yaozhi.com, the source, function, and dosage form of Coix seed were comprehensively analyzed, with a view of providing a reference for the development of Coix seed medicine and food.

Keywords: Coix seed; Cancer; Tumor; Coix lacryma-jobi L.var.ma-yuen (Roman.) Stapf; Medicinal herbs

Core Tip: Cancer is a serious disease that causes a huge economic and social burden worldwide. In addition, cancer has become one of the biggest health threats globally. Numerous studies have confirmed that Coix seed has anti-tumor effects. This article will review its preparation, anti-tumor effects, and edible value.