Background

Job's tears is an annual grass crop that grows in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and other Asian countries, where it is considered a health food. The root and seed of the plant are sometimes used as medicine.

People use Job's tears for conditions such as hay fever, high cholesterol, cancer, infections of the airways, and many others, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Safety Safety definitions

When taken by mouth: Job's tears is possibly safe when consumed in the amounts found in food. There isn't enough reliable information to know if taking Job's tears as a supplement is safe.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy: It might be UNSAFE to take Job's tears if you are pregnant. Research in animals suggests that it can poison a developing embryo. It can also cause the uterus to contract, and this might harm the pregnancy.

Breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if Job's tears is safe to use when breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Surgery: Job's tears might lower blood sugar levels. There is some concern that it might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop using Job's tears at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Effectiveness

Dosing & administration

The appropriate dose of Job's tears depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for Job's tears. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.

Interactions with pharmaceuticals

Chlorzoxazone (Parafon Forte, Paraflex)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Job's tears might increase levels of chlorzoxazone. Taking Job's tears along with chlorzoxazone might increase the effects and side effects of chlorzoxazone.

Dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM, others)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Job's tears might increase levels of dextromethorphan. Taking Job's tears along with dextromethorphan might increase the effects and side effects of dextromethorphan.

Diltiazem (Cardizem, others)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Job's tears might increase levels of diltiazem. Taking Job's tears along with diltiazem might increase the effects and side effects of diltiazem.

Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Job's tears might decrease blood sugar levels. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking Job's tears along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.

Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.

Theophylline

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Job's tears might increase levels of theophylline. Taking Job's tears along with theophylline might increase the effects and side effects of theophylline.

Interactions with herbs & supplements

Herbs and supplements that might lower blood sugar: There is some evidence that Job's tears might lower blood sugar. Using it along with other natural products that have this same effect might lower blood sugar too much. Some herbs that might lower blood sugar level include bitter melon, cowhage, ginger, glucomannan, goat's rue, fenugreek, kudzu, willow bark, and others. Don't use Job's tears with any of these.

Interactions with foods

There are no known interactions with foods.

Action

Job's tears contains chemicals that might interfere with cancer cell growth. Other chemicals might also have antioxidant effects and might also decrease growth of bacteria and parasites. But most research on Job's tears is in animals and test tubes. There isn't enough information to know if Job's tears works the same way in people.

However, some research has been done in people. It suggests that fiber contained in Job's tears might decrease how much fat and cholesterol the body absorbs.