Health Benefits of Coix Seed (Coix lacryma-jobi): A Study Review

OBJECTIVES: Coix seed (Coix lacryma-Jobi) is a whole grain cereal that has been used as food and medicinal herbs. This study aims to provide an updated understanding of Coix seed's health benefits through a study literature review. METHODS: We researched six electronic databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Nature, Clinical Key, and Springer) in June 2021. RESULTS: We found 1040 articles from the databases and we screened 792 articles after duplicate removal. The final 109 studies were included in this review. Coix seed has antimicrobial, antiviral, antitoxin, wound healing, anti-aging, diuretic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. CONCLUSIONS: However, study about Coix seed consumption as food and its clinical trial of its health benefits in human are still limited. Further strong clinical studies are necessary to present the effects of coix seed dietary consumption in humans. FUNDING SOURCES: Researcher's personal funding, especially by William Ben Gunawan and Melly Wijayanti.