Gavedhuka
Coix lacryma-jobi
Gavedhuka (Coix lacryma-jobi) is a plant used in Ayurveda. Coixenolide has moderate oral bioavailability with good GI absorption. Coixol (a benzoxazinone) has moderate bioavailability (~30%). As a cereal grain, the starch matrix provides slow release of embedded bioactives.
| Botanical name | Coix lacryma-jobi |
|---|---|
| Identity source | Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. V: GAVEDHUKA (Root) |
| Also called | Coix lachryma-jobi Linn. syn. C. lachryma Linn. (attribution recorded without a cited source) |
| Family | Poaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Poales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 2706301 · Wikidata Q827098 · NCBI Taxonomy 4505 |
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Gavedhuka |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Madhura, Kashaya | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu, Ruksha | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Ushna | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Madhura | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (grain/seed powder), Kashayam (decoction), Yavagu (medicated gruel), Tablet, Capsule
Standard Dosage: 5-10g grain powder twice daily; 50-100ml decoction; Yavagu as directed (as dietary preparation); 500-1000mg extract capsule twice daily
Bioavailability: Coix lacryma-jobi (Job’s tears / Gavedhuka) seeds contain coixenolide, coixol, stigmasterol, and high-quality protein. Coixenolide has moderate oral bioavailability with good GI absorption. Coixol (a benzoxazinone) has moderate bioavailability (~30%). As a cereal grain, the starch matrix provides slow release of embedded bioactives. Cooking (as in Yavagu preparation) gelatinizes starch and improves digestibility and nutrient bioavailability. Lipid content (5-8%) provides a natural vehicle for lipophilic constituents. Enhancement: de-hulled seeds have higher bioactive accessibility than hulled.
Optimal Timing: Yavagu (gruel) in the morning as breakfast or meal replacement; powder/capsule before meals with warm water; traditionally consumed as part of therapeutic diet
Standardized Extract: Seed extract standardized to NLT 1% coixenolide by HPLC. Seed oil: cold-pressed, standardized to fatty acid profile. Aqueous extract ratio 5:1. Protein content NLT 15% for nutraceutical grade.
Shelf Life: Whole grain: 1-2 years; 1.5 years (powder); 2 years (tablet/capsule); 1 year (seed oil)
Storage: Whole grain: cool, dry, ventilated area, protected from insects. Powder and extracts: airtight containers below 25 deg C. Seed oil: refrigerate after opening, use within 6 months. Protect from moisture and pest infestation.
Marker Compounds: Coixenolide, Coixol, Stigmasterol, Sitosterol, Oleic acid, Linoleic acid, Coixan A/B/C (polysaccharides)
Extraction Methods
- Aqueous decoction of seeds
- Hydroalcoholic extraction (60:40 ethanol:water)
- Traditional Yavagu preparation (grain cooked in water/milk to gruel consistency)
- Supercritical CO2 for coixenolide extraction
- Oil extraction (cold-press) for seed oil
Synergistic Combinations
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.