it's been used continuously in TCM for over 2,000 years for spleen function, diuresis, joint pain, lung abscesses, and as an anti-tumor food medicine.

coix is sold as Kanglaite in China and is an approved anticancer drug.
Kanglaite injection is a licensed pharmaceutical derived from coix seed oil, used clinically in China for lung cancer, liver cancer, and pancreatic cancer treatment, often alongside conventional chemotherapy.

coix has strong chemical constituents to inhibit enzymes of cyclooxygenase (COX), fatty acid synthase, and matrix metalloproteinases.
COX inhibition is the same target as ibuprofen and aspirin but with additional anti-tumor signaling.

the key unique compounds — coixol, coixenolide, and coixans — are found in almost no other plant. coixol (6-methoxybenzoxazolone) demonstrated central muscle relaxant properties.
decreased locomotor activity, potentiated sleep, attenuated pain response, and prevented convulsions,

coix seed has hypoglycemic effects, with dehulled seeds reducing blood glucose levels.

the crude extract also modulated leptin and TNF-alpha expression, reducing body weight, food intake, fat size, adipose tissue mass, and serum hyperlipidemia in obese rats — hitting obesity and inflammation simultaneously.

coix rice is described as a food that keeps the skin lustrous and delicate, with a positive effect on hemorrhoids and rough skin.
coix contains β-sitosterol and γ-sitosterol, lignans including 4-ketopinoresinol (a potent DPPH radical scavenger), and high vitamin E content. it's been used in Japanese and East Asian skincare as a whitening and brightening ingredient for decades.
the β-sitosterol and γ-sitosterol content interfere with melanin synthesis pathways — they suppress tyrosinase activity (the same enzyme Curculigo latifolia's curculigoside targets), which directly reduces hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone. this is why it gets grouped with kojic acid and arbutin in Asian brightening formulations,

promotes uterine contraction, avoid during pregnancy.