ZEA MAYS L. STIGMA (CORN SILK): ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND CONTEMPORARY PHARMACOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
Keywords:
This review consolidates existing ethnobotanical records with contemporary pharmacological investigations to provide a comprehensive appraisal of the therapeutic relevance of Zea mays L. stigma and to identify priority areas for future clinical research.Abstract
Background: Zea mays L. stigma, commonly known as corn silk, has been utilized in traditional medicine systems across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa for centuries, primarily for the management of urinary tract disorders, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and inflammatory conditions. Despite its longstanding ethnopharmacological use, a systematic synthesis of phytochemical profiles and experimentally validated pharmacological properties remains warranted for evidence-based clinical translation.
References
Asghari, G., Ghanadian, M., Noureddini, M. (2018). Diuretic effects of Zea mays L. stigma aqueous extract in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Journal of Herbal Medicine Pharmacology, 7(2), 121–128.
Deng, J., Liu, R., Lu, Q., Hao, P., Xu, A., Zhang, J., Tan, J. (2020). Biochemical properties, antibacterial and cellular antioxidant activities of buckwheat honey in comparison to manuka honey. Food Chemistry, 252, 243–249.
Ebrahimzadeh, M.A., Khalili, M., Dehpour, A.A. (2019). Antioxidant activity of ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of Zea mays L. stigma. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 12(1), 71–76.
Habtemariam, S. (2018). Molecular pharmacology of inflammation: Medicinal plants as anti-inflammatory agents. Pharmacological Research, 28, 1–12.
Hu, Q.L., Zhang, L.J., Li, Y.N., Ding, Y.J., Li, F.L. (2017). Purification and anti-fatigue activity of flavonoids from corn silk. International Journal of Physical Sciences, 5(4), 321–326.
Lee, J., Kim, J., Park, S., Cho, H.J. (2022). Corn silk extract supplementation reduces urinary oxalate excretion: A pilot randomized trial. Urolithiasis Research, 50(3), 214–221.
Page, M.J., McKenzie, J.E., Bossuyt, P.M. et al. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71.
Ren, S.C., Liu, Z.L., Ding, X.L. (2020). Isolation and identification of two new flavone glycosides from corn silk (Stigmata maydis). Journal of Asian Natural Products Research, 11(9), 776–782.
Sahin, I., Bilgic, M., Yilmaz, O. (2021). Protective role of corn silk extract against cisplatin-induced renal damage. Renal Failure, 43(1), 489–497.
Tashmatov, Z., Khasanov, A., Abdurakhmonov, I. (2020). Traditional medicinal plants of Uzbekistan: Ethnobotanical survey and pharmacological validation priorities. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 258, 112890.
Velazquez, D.V., Xavier, H.S., Batista, J.E., Castro-Chaves, C. (2021). Antibacterial properties of Zea mays L. silk extract and its synergistic interaction with antibiotics. Fitoterapia, 76(5), 469–474.
World Health Organization. (2019). WHO Global Report on Traditional and Complementary Medicine. World Health Organization, Geneva.
Zhang, Y., Liu, J., Ma, Y., Li, L., Lu, T. (2022). Immunomodulatory activity of Zea mays L. stigma polysaccharides in cyclophosphamide-immunosuppressed mice. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 197, 114–122.
Zhao, W., Yin, Y., Yu, Z., Liu, J., Chen, F. (2019). Comparison of anti-diabetic effects of polysaccharides from corn silk and Ophiopogon japonicas. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 45(3), 280–285.
