Mai Ya
StarHordeum vulgare
Synonyms: Hordeum vulgare var. coeleste, Hordeum vulgare var. multispiculum, Hordeum strobelense, Hordeum vulgare var. subnudipiramidatum, Hordeum barbaricum, Hordeum coeleste, Hordeum vulgare var. trofimovskajae, Hordeum nudum-distichum, Hordeum vulgare subsp. medioasiaticum, Hordeum ircutianum, Hordeum daghestanicum, Hordeum sativum, Hordeum praecox, Frumentum sativum, Hordeum vulgare var. breviaristatum, Hordeum vulgare var. micrurum, Hordeum vulgare var. griseinudum, Hordeum vulgare var. nudinipponicum, Hordeum vulgare var. subnudum, Hordeum vulgare var. nipponicum, Hordeum himalayense, Hordeum vulgare var. zeocrithideficiens, Hordeum vulgare var. harlanii, Hordeum vulgare var. chungense, Hordeum transcaucasicum, Hordeum michalkowii, Hordeum vulgare var. latibrevisetum, Hordeum vulgare var. tetrapallidum, Hordeum parvum, Hordeum vulgare var. interpallidum, Hordeum vulgare var. bachteevii, Hordeum vulgare subsp. tetrastichum, Hordeum elongatum, Hordeum hibernaculum, Hordeum vulgare var. glabrierectum, Hordeum jarenskianum, Hordeum mandshuroides, Hordeum vulgare var. macrosteron, Hordeum vulgare var. valentinae, Hordeum vulgare var. subnutans, Hordeum revelatum, Hordeum vulgare var. griseinigrum, Hordeum vulgare var. uljassutaicum, Hordeum vulgare var. ancoberense, Hordeum aestivum, Hordeum vulgare var. glabrispicatum, Hordeum vulgare var. ismailii, Hordeum vulgare var. saidii, Hordeum pensanum, Hordeum bifarium, Hordeum nigrum, Hordeum sativum subsp. vulgare, Hordeum vulgare var. pallidum, Hordeum polystichon, Hordeum caspicum, Frumentum hordeum, Hordeum vulgare var. daghestanicum, Hordeum lapponicum, Hordeum vulgare var. nudijaponicum, Hordeum vulgare var. subneogenes, Hordeum polystichon var. hexastichon, Hordeum vulgare var. tibetanum, Hordeum vulgare var. japonicum, Hordeum taganrocense, Hordeum vulgare var. syriacum, Hordeum vulgare var. glabrigracilius, Hordeum vulgare var. latirevelatum, Hordeum vulgare var. coerulescens, Secale orientale, Hordeum kiarchanum, Hordeum brachyatherum, Hordeum pyramidatum, Hordeum pamiricum, Hordeum hexastichon var. mandshuricum, Hordeum vulgare var. lvovii, Hordeum kalugense, Hordeum vulgare var. addis-abebae, Hordeum vulgare var. glabrideficiens, Hordeum polystichon var. hackelii, Hordeum hibernans, Hordeum vulgare var. suberectum, Hordeum hexastichon, Hordeum vulgare var. kobdicum, Hordeum vulgare var. revelatum, Hordeum vulgare var. gobicum, Hordeum vulgare f. hexastichon, Hordeum vulgare var. rarum, Hordeum vulgare var. hexastichon, Hordeum perversum, Hordeum vulgare var. subpyramidatum, Hordeum vulgare subsp. polystichon, Hordeum violaceum, Hordeum nekludowii, Hordeum vulgare subsp. antasiaticum, Hordeum vulgare var. brachyura, Hordeum vulgare var. mandshuricum, Hordeum durum, Hordeum vulgare var. nanum, Hordeum vulgare var. nigrinudum, Hordeum tetrastichum var. nudum, Hordeum vulgare var. sinojaponicum, Hordeum vulgare var. nigrum, Hordeum tanaiticum, Hordeum scabriusculum, Hordeum walpersii, Hordeum vulgare var. ibericum, Hordeum vulgare var. euryhypatherum, Hordeum vulgare var. latinudipyramidatum, Hordeum vulgare var. colonicum, Hordeum polystichon var. vulgare, Hordeum latum, Hordeum septentrionale, Hordeum americanum, Hordeum hirtiusculum, Hordeum vulgare var. brevispicatum, Hordeum vulgare var. tetranutans, Hordeum karzinianum, Hordeum coeleste var. barbatum, Hordeum hexastichon var. densum, Hordeum defectoides, Hordeum vulgare subsp. hexastichon, Hordeum vulgare var. tortile, Hordeum vulgare var. palestinicum, Hordeum sativum var. trifurcatum, Hordeum vulgare var. hangaicum, Hordeum vulgare var. viride, Hordeum vulgare var. glabribrevisetum, Hordeum sativum subsp. hexastichon, Hordeum vulgare var. africanum, Hordeum vulgare var. patimatae, Hordeum stassewitschii, Hordeum vulgare var. zuleichatae, Hordeum vulgare var. sinicum, Hordeum vulgare var. sikangense, Hordeum leptostachys, Hordeum vulgare var. glabriviride, Hordeum vulgare var. mongolicum, Hordeum vulgare var. insularum, Hordeum laevipaleatum, Hordeum vulgare var. sessilifurcatum, Hordeum horsfordianum, Hordeum vulgare var. hypatherum, Hordeum gymnodistichum, Hordeum vulgare var. aestivum, Hordeum vulgare var. brunneinudum, Hordeum vulgare var. chinense, Hordeum hexastichon var. laxum, Hordeum vulgare var. hybernum, Hordeum tetrastichum, Hordeum vulgare var. abdulbasirovii, Hordeum vulgare var. atratum, Hordeum vulgare var. lukyanovae, Hordeum vulgare var. leioheterolepis, Hordeum juliae, Hordeum heterostychon, Hordeum mandshuricum, Hordeum vulgare var. subzeocrithon, Hordeum vulgare var. solitarum, Hordeum vulgare var. hadaka, Hordeum vulgare var. urgaicum, Hordeum vulgare var. chalunicum
☯ TCM Properties
Reduces Food Stagnation, improves digestion and strengthens the Stomach; Inhibits lactation; Facilitates the smooth flow of Liver Qi
Traditional Chinese Uses
Mai Ya (barley sprout, malt) is a mild herb used in Chinese medicine to reduce food stagnation from starchy foods, grains, and fruit, to stimulate appetite in Spleen Qi deficiency with weak digestion, and to treat poorly digested milk in infants. At high doses, it disperses Liver Qi stagnation and is traditionally used to suppress lactation when weaning. It is a gentle, food-grade herb frequently combined with Shan Zha and Shen Qu as the classical digestive tonic trio.
Western Herbalism Properties
Used In Formulas (1)
Botanical Description
Hordeum vulgare is an annual grass growing 60-120 cm tall, with hollow, jointed culms and flat, linear leaves 10-20 cm long with prominent auricles that clasp the stem. The inflorescence is a dense spike bearing three spikelets at each rachis node (the characteristic barley arrangement). Each spikelet contains one grain (caryopsis) and is often associated with long, stiff awns. In TCM, the germinated grain (Mai Ya) is used, made by sprouting the barley grain.
Cultivated in fields throughout temperate regions worldwide; one of the oldest and most widely grown cereal crops. Native to the Fertile Crescent region of the Middle East.
Hordeum vulgare is one of the world most widely cultivated cereal crops. It is a domesticated species. Wild barley (H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum) is found in the Middle East and Central Asia. No conservation concerns for the cultivated form.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 10-30 g | daily | — | adult | Large doses of 30-120 g used to inhibit lactation; use fried (chao) form to reduce food stagnation. |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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