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Cura x Cura

Dao Ya稻芽

Oryzae Fructus Germinatus · Rice Sprout · Sprouted Rice

Herbs that Relieve Food Stagnation 消食药《名医别录》

Overview

Rice grain germinated and then dried — the mildest member of the digestive group and the one most clearly aimed at weakness rather than excess. Sweet and slightly warm, it moves food that is sitting undigested, but its real distinction is that it coaxes appetite back in someone whose Spleen and Stomach are simply tired: the convalescent, the elderly, the child who picks at meals. Three forms are used and a prescription should say which — raw to harmonise the middle, dry-fried when reducing stagnation matters more, charred for accumulation that has settled in.

Nature & Flavor

Sweet · Warm

Channels

Spleen · Stomach

Typical Dosage

9–15 g in decoction
稻芽Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

3 core actions

  • Reduces food stagnation, harmonises the middleStarchy food that will not move, epigastric fullness, sour or foul belching, a thickened tongue coating after a heavy meal.
  • Strengthens the Spleen, opens the appetiteNo appetite from a weak digestion rather than from overloading — poor intake in convalescence, in the elderly and in children, with fatigue and loose stools.
  • Raw, dry-fried and charredThe raw sprout harmonises the middle most gently and is the usual choice where appetite is the problem; dry-frying shifts it toward reducing stagnation; charring makes it the most reducing of the three.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Dao Ya

No published formula lists this herb yet — the library is growing.

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Undigested food with epigastric fullness and belching
    - Poor appetite from Spleen-Stomach weakness
    - Convalescent and paediatric loss of appetite
    - Sluggish digestion where a stronger digestive would be too harsh

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

Poor appetiteIndigestionBloatingConvalescence

Contraindications

Cautions

There is no classical contraindication; the caveat is the mildness itself. Where accumulation is heavy and painful this herb is too weak to carry the prescription alone, and relying on it can delay a case that needs stronger reduction — or investigation. It is not a substitute for looking into persistent abdominal pain or unexplained weight loss.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: No pregnancy restriction of record, and unlike Mai Ya it carries no reputation for reducing milk supply, which makes it the safer of the sprouted grains during breastfeeding. Dosing stays with the treating practitioner.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    2. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
    3. 《中华本草》.

Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.