Zea mays.   玉 米 Yù mǐ   Corn   Family: Gramineae      
PART USED: 玉 米 须  Yù mǐ xū   Corn silk, Stigma- harvested in Summer  
Nature- neutral        FLAVOR: Sweet  CHANNEL: Kidney, Bladder, Liver and Gall bladder
FUNCTIONS
GROUP- Diuretic
1. Promotes urination.[3,5] Heal swelling.
2. Affects the Liver and Gall Bladder.[3] Benefit Gall bladder by promote choleresis and relieve jaundice.[5]
3. Lower blood pressure.[1,2,4] Lower blood sugar level.[3]
4. Stop bleeding.[3]
INDICATIONS
1. Damp Heat edema- Edema in nephritis,[3] diminished urination, Damp Heat jaundice. Edema, ascites, wet beriberi.[1,4] Hot or stony dysuria.[1,4,5] Beriberi..[3] Dysuria.[4]
2. Either Yin or yang jaundice-[5] Hepatocellular jaundice, cholelithiasis and cholecystitis.[3] Ictohepatitis.[3] Gallstones.[3]
3. Hypertension.[1,2,3,5] Diabetes.[3,5]
4. Epistaxis,[3] gingival bleeding. Vomiting of blood.[3]
5. Sinusitis.[3]
6. Mastitis.[3]
7. Recently used for thrombocytopenic purpura.
PATENT COMBINATIONS
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS:  Decoction  Dried style and stigma  15-30 g.[1,2,5] 9-12 g.[4]
    
- Relieve hypertension, nosebleed, and vomiting of blood- Boil 40 g corn silk and 40 g banana peel in water. Drink the juice cold.[3]
- Relief of chronic nephritis with edema and ascites- Boil corn slk with watermelon peel and small red beans in water. Drink it as soup.[3]
  玉 米 种 子 Yù mǐ zhǒng zǐ (Zhong Zi- Seed) Corn seed, Maize    
Nature- neutral   FLAVOR: Sweet    CHANNEL: Stomach, Large Intestine
FUNCTIONS
1. Regulate the middle Heater, stimulate appetite. Used as a stomach tonic.[3]
2. Promote urination.[1,3]
INDICATIONS
1. Difficult urination.[3]
2. Prevention of Heart diseases.[1,3]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Digestive disorders.[1]


- Relieve Kidney disease- Boil 15 g corn kernels in 3 glasses water over low heat until water is reduced to 1 glass, or until water becomes reddish brown. Drink half a glass of the soup each time, twice a day.[3]
玉 米 叶 Yù mǐ yè Corn leaf     
PREPARATIONS
- Relieve difficulty when urinating- Boil 30 g fresh corn leaves over low heat for 20 mintues. Drink the soup.[3]
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents.
Research.
The diuretic activity has been demonstrated in animals clinically.[1,2] Hypotensive in animals.[3] Choloretic in humans as well as animals.[4]
A regular consumption of corn makes the heart strong and increases sexual capacities, according to an experiment on swallows.[1]
Corn silk promotes urination, lowers blood sugar, is beneficial to the gall bladder and arrests bleeding, according to experiments on animals.[1]
Yu mi xu is a safe herb with an LD50 in rabbits of 250g/kg, and an effective diuretic dosage of 1.5g/kg.[5]
Clinical report- Chronic glomerular nephritis- Place 50 g dry corn silk in 600 ml warm water; boil it over low heat for 20-30 minutes until reduced to about 300-400 ml soup; strain and drink the soup once a day; or divide it and drink it a few times a day. This remedy was used to treat 9 cases of chronic glomerular nephritis under observation for 10 months. The results indicate that among the 9 cases treated, 3 cases show complete recovery, 2 impromvements, and 4 significant results.
References
[1] Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingrdients used in Food Drugs and Cosmetics, Albert Y. Leung. Pub. John Wiley & sons Inc (1980) NY
[2] Pharmacology and Applications of Chinese Materia Medica Vol 1. Ed. H. Chan and P. But. Pub. World Scientific (1986) Singapore
[3] Hahn, S. J. (1973) K'at'ollick Taebak Uihak. Nonmunj 25, 127
[4] Pharmacology and Applications of Chinese Materia Medica Vol 1. Ed. H. Chan and P. But. Pub. World Scientific (1986) Singapore
[5] Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica- Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble- Eastland Press 1986 Seattle Washington ISBN 0-939616-15-7

The favorable effect of style of Zea mays L. on streptozotocin induced diabetic nephropathy.
Suzuki R, Okada Y, Okuyama T.
Abstract
The effectivity of water extract from the style of Zea mays on diabetic nephropathy was investigated in the development of new natural medicinal resources. Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the style. Urinary albumin excretion and creatinine clearance were examined for diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy. From these results it was learned that the style of Z. mays prevented glomerular hyperfiltration. The present findings indicated that the water extract of the title material suppressed the progression of diabetic glomerular sclerosis in STZ-induced diabetic rat. Biol Pharm Bull. 2005 May;28(5):919-20. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Extract of corn silk (stigma of Zea mays) inhibits the tumour necrosis factor-alpha- and bacterial lipopolysaccharide-induced cell adhesion and ICAM-1 expression.
Habtemariam S.
Abstract
Treatment of human endothelial cells with cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) or E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces the expression of several adhesion molecules and enhances leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cell surface. Interfering with this leukocyte adhesion or adhesion molecules upregulation is an important therapeutic target for the treatment of bacterial sepsis and various inflammatory diseases. In the course of screening marketed European anti-inflammatory herbal drugs for TNF antagonistic activity, a crude ethanolic extract of corn silk (stigma of Zea mays) exhibited significant activity. The extract at concentrations of 9-250 micrograms/ml effectively inhibited the TNF- and LPS-induced adhesiveness of EAhy 926 endothelial cells to monocytic U937 cells. Similar concentration ranges of corn silk extract did also block the TNF and LPS but not the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced ICAM-1 expression on EAhy 926 endothelial cell surface. The extract did not alter the production of TNF by LPS-activated macrophages and failed to inhibit the cytotoxic activity of TNF. It is concluded that corn silk possesses important therapeutic potential for TNF- and LPS-mediated leukocyte adhesion and trafficking.
PMID: 9619111 DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-957441 Planta Med. 1998 May;64(4):314-8. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effects of corn silk on glycaemic metabolism
Jianyou Guo, Tongjun Liu, Linna Han, and Yongmei Liucorresponding author
Abstract
Corn silk contains proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, Ca, K, Mg and Na salts, fixed and volatile oils, steroids such as sitosterol and stigmasterol, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, and flavonoids. Base on folk remedies, corn silk has been used as an oral antidiabetic agent in China for decades. However, the hypoglycemic activity of it has not yet been understood in terms of modern pharmacological concepts. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of corn silk on glycaemic metabolism.
Methods
Alloxan and adrenalin induced hyperglycemic mice were used in the study. The effects of corn silk on blood glucose, glycohemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin secretion, damaged pancreatic ß-cells, hepatic glycogen and gluconeogenesis in hyperglycemic mice were studied respectively.
Results
After the mice were orally administered with corn silk extract, the blood glucose and the HbA1c were significantly decreased in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively), while the level of insulin secretionn was markedly elevated in alloxa-induced hyperglycemic mice (p < 0.05). The alloxan-damaged pancreatic ß-cells of the mice were partly recovered gradually after the mice were administered with corn silk extract 15 days later. Also, the body weight of the alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice was increased gradually. However, ascension of blood glucose induced by adrenalin and gluconeogenesis induced by L-alanine were not inhibited by corn silk extract treatment (p > 0.05). Although corn silk extract increased the level of hepatic glycogen in the alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice, there was no significant difference between them and that of the control group(p > 0.05).
Conclusion
Corn silk extract markedly reduced hyperglycemia in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The action of corn silk extract on glycaemic metabolism is not via increasing glycogen and inhibiting gluconeogenesis but through increasing insulin level as well as recovering the injured ß-cells. The results suggest that corn silk extract may be used as a hypoglycemic food or medicine for hyperglycemic people in terms of this modern pharmacological study.
Nutr Metab (Lond). 2009; 6: 47. Published online 2009 Nov 23. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-6-47  PMCID: PMC2785813 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Protective effect of maize silks (Maydis stigma) ethanol extract on radiation-induced oxidative stress in mice.
Bai H, Hai C, Xi M, Liang X, Liu R.
Abstract
Maize silks, dried cut stigmata of maize female flowers, are a traditional medicinal plant. This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant effect of maize silks ethanol extract (MSE) against oxidative damage in vivo. ?-radiation was employed to induce oxidative stress in mice and the variation of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione/glutathione disulfide ratio (GSH/GSSG), blood cells, NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and related antioxidant enzymes were examined. The results showed that radiation elevate levels of MDA, induce hematological abnormalities and decrease levels of GSH/GSSG and Nrf2 expression in liver and kidney. MSE administration significantly abolished elevation of MDA levels in liver, maintained hepatic GSH/GSSG ratio and ameliorated hematological abnormalities dose dependently. Moreover, MSE up-regulated the hepatic protein expression of Nrf2 dose dependently and the activities as well as protein expression of Nrf2-related antioxidant enzymes were also increased. However, the antioxidant ability of MSE seemed not to be as effective in kidney as in liver. These findings firstly proved the protective role of MSE against oxidative stress, which was in part via up-regulation of Nrf2 and seemed to be tissue specific.
PMID: 20526679 DOI: 10.1007/s11130-010-0172-6  Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2010 Sep;65(3):271-6. doi: 10.1007/s11130-010-0172-6. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Zea mays L. extracts modify glomerular function and potassium urinary excretion in conscious rats.
Velazquez DV, Xavier HS, Batista JE, de Castro-Chaves C.
Abstract
Diuretic and uricosuric properties have traditionally been attributed to corn silk, stigma/style of Zea mays L. Although the diuretic effect was confirmed, studies of the plant's effects on renal function or solute excretion were lacking. Thus, we studied the effects of corn silk aqueous extract on the urinary excretion of water, Na+, K+, and uric acid. Glomerular and proximal tubular function and Na+ tubular handling were also studied. Conscious, unrestrained adult male rats were housed in individual metabolic cages (IMC) with continuous urine collection for 5 and 3 h, following two protocols. The effects of 25, 50, 200, 350, and 500 mg/kg body wt. corn silk extract on urine volume plus Na+ and K+ excretions were studied in water-loaded conscious rats (2.5 ml/100 g body wt.) in the IMC for 5 h (Protocol 1). Kaliuresis was observed with doses of 350 (100.42 +/- 22.32-120.28 +/- 19.70 microEq/5 h/100 g body wt.; n = 13) and 500 mg/kg body wt. (94.97+/- 29.30-134.32 +/- 39.98 microEq/5h/100 g body wt.; n = 12; p<0.01), and the latter dose resulted in diuresis as well (1.98 +/- 0.44-2.41 +/- 0.41 ml/5 h/100 g body wt.; n = 12; p<0.05). The effects of a 500 mg/kg body wt. dose of corn silk extract on urine volume, Na+, K+ and uric acid excretions, and glomerular and proximal tubular function, were measured respectively by creatinine (Cler) and Li+ (ClLi) clearances and Na+ tubular handling, in water-loaded rats (5 ml/100 g body wt.) in the IMC for 3 h (Protocol 2). Clcr (294.6 +/- 73.2, n = 12, to 241.7 +/- 48.0 microl/ min/100 g body wt.; n = 13; p<0.05) and the Na+ filtered load (41.9 +/- 10.3, n = 12, to 34.3 +/- .8, n = 13, p<0.05) decreased and ClLi and Na+ excretion were unchanged, while K+ excretion (0.1044 +/- 0.0458, n=12, to 0.2289 +/- 0.0583 microEq/min/100 body wt.; n = 13; p<0.001) increased. For Na+ tubular handling, the fractional proximal tubular reabsorption (91.5 +/- 3.5, n = 12, to 87.5 +/- 3.4%; n = 13; p<0.01) decreased, and both fractional distal reabsorptions--I and II--increased (96.5 +/- 1.5, n = 12, to 97.8 +/- 0.9%; n = 13; p<0.01; and 8.2 +/- 3.5, n = 12, to 12.2 +/- 3.4%, n = 13, p<0.01, respectively). To summarize, in water-loaded conscious rats (2.5 ml/100 body wt.), corn silk aqueous extract is diuretic at a dose of 500 mg/kg body wt. and kaliuretic at doses of 350 and 500 mg/kg body wt. In water-loaded conscious rats (5.0 ml/100 g body wt.), corn silk aqueous extract is kaliuretic at a dose of 500 mg/kg body wt., but glomerular filtration and filtered load decrease without affecting proximal tubular function, Na+, or uric acid excretion.
PMID: 15957371 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2003.12.010  Phytomedicine. 2005 May;12(5):363-9. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov