Fruits and seedsDigestantFructus Hordei Germinatus
Mai Ya (Barley Sprout)
麥芽 · Mai Ya
Digestant herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Traditional functions: Moves qi, digest food, promotes spleen, opens appetite, returns milk, eliminates swelling.
Quick Facts
| Latin Name | Fructus Hordei Germinatus |
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| Chinese Name & Pinyin | 麥芽 · Mai Ya |
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| Medicinal Part | Fruits and seeds |
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| Efficacy Category | Digestant |
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| Botanical Origin | The dried sprouted fruit of Hordeum vulgare L.(Poaceae) |
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| Nature & Flavour | Sweet; Neutral |
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| Channels Entered | Spleen, Stomach |
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What Is Mai Ya?
Mai Ya (Barley Sprout) is a medicinal herb of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Primarily produced all over China.
Nature & Flavour: Sweet; Neutral
Channels Entered: Spleen, Stomach
Mai Ya: Materia Medica Profile
Identification & Quality Standard
Fructus Hordei Germinatus
Botanical Origin
The dried sprouted fruit of Hordeum vulgare L.(Poaceae)
Production Regions
Primarily produced all over China.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material is pale yellow, intact germ.
Macroscopic Features
Fusiform shape, 8~12mm long, 3~4mm diameter. Externally pale yellow, back side is the outer surrounding husk, with 5 veins, apex has a long broken awn; front side is the inner surrounding husk; when the husk is removed, the front side has one longitudinal groove; base of the radicle grows the tender sprout and rootlets. The tender sprout has a long lanceolate shape, about 0.5cm long, and the rootlets are numerous, fibrous, thin and curved. Fractured surface is white, powdery. faint odor, slightly sweet taste.
Traditional TCM Properties
Sweet; NeutralSpleenStomach
Traditional Functions
Moves qi, digest food, promotes spleen, opens appetite, returns milk, eliminates swelling. Apply to food accumulation and indigestion, abdominal swelling and pain, deficiency of spleen and little food intake, stagnation of milk and sweat, distention and pain of the breast, ablactation. Unprocessed mai ya can promote spleen and harmonizes stomach and frees mammary. Apply to deficiency of spleen and little food intake, stagnation of mammary and sweat.
How Mai Ya Is Used in TCM
In the Chinese materia medica, Mai Ya is classified among the Digestant herbs. It appears in 1 classical formulas in our library.
Formulas containing Mai Ya are traditionally used for:
Dizziness & VertigoHeadache
Classical Formulas Containing Mai Ya
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mai Ya? Are Sheng Mai Ya, Chao Mai Ya, Jiao Mai Ya and Gu Ya the same?
Official Mai Ya (麦芽) is the germinated then dried ripe fruit of Hordeum vulgare. The pharmacopoeial name is Hordei Fructus Germinatus. Raw Mai Ya fortifies the Spleen, harmonizes the Stomach and courses Liver Qi—Spleen deficiency with poor appetite and milk accumulation favor it. Dry-fried Mai Ya moves Qi, reduces food and returns milk—food stagnation and weaning favor it. Scorched Mai Ya reduces food and transforms stagnation—epigastric-abdominal distending pain favors it. Gu Ya is germinated rice: gentler to reduce food, a little stronger to fortify the Spleen. Do not swap in ungerminated barley or brewing malt. Write raw, fried or scorched.
What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Mai Ya?
According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Mai Ya is sweet and neutral, enters the Spleen and Stomach channels, and acts to move Qi and reduce food, fortify the Spleen and open the appetite, and return milk to reduce distention. It is used for untransformed food accumulation, epigastric-abdominal distending pain, Spleen deficiency with little food intake, accumulated milk, breast distending pain, weaning, Liver-constraint rib-side pain, and Liver-Stomach Qi pain. Sweet-neutral reducing—especially for rice, flour, potato and taro stagnation, not for those without accumulation, those already too weak in Spleen and Stomach, or nursing mothers who wish to continue milk (large fried doses).
How do you choose raw, fried and scorched Mai Ya? Is a special decoction needed?
Course the Liver and fortify the Spleen, or milk accumulation, with raw Mai Ya; reduce food and return milk with fried Mai Ya; food stagnation with distending pain with scorched Mai Ya. It goes in the pot with the rest. Returning milk needs a large fried dose—completely different from everyday digestant amounts; do not raise a food-therapy pinch on your own.
Learn More About Mai Ya
Explore our in-depth article covering the traditional uses, properties, functions, and TCM context of Mai Ya.
Read the Mai Ya Guide →
Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.
