Maydis stigma

Corn stigmas are the long hairs that protrude from the corn cobs. The cobs develop exclusively from the female flowers and are always located in the middle stem area of the corn plant, with the male flowers at the top of the stems.

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Empirical medicine: cystitis, gout, rheumatism, as a diuretic, for weight reduction, kidney and bladder stones; lowers blood pressure and blood sugar; edema.

Studies found the polysaccharide (SMP) to be one of the most important bioactive compounds with immune-strengthening, antitumor, antioxidant, fatigue-inhibiting, diuretic, hepatoprotective, blood sugar-lowering and hypolipidemic effects Zang et al. 2020), an antitumor effect in breast cancer see also Al-Oqail MM et al. (2019).

1. Zhang Y et al (2020) Recent developments in stigma maydis polysaccharides: Isolation, structural characteristics, biological activities and industrial application. Int J Biol Macromol 1;150:246-252. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.01.294. Epub 2020 Jan 31. PMID: 32014475.
2. Blaschek W (2015) Wichtl-Teedrogens and phytopharmaceuticals. A handbook for practice. Scientific publishing company Munich. S 409-410
3. Al-Oqail MM et al. (2019) Corn Silk (Zea mays L.) Induced Apoptosis in Human Breast Cancer (MCF-7) Cells via the ROS-Mediated Mitochondrial Pathway. Oxid Med Cell Longev 20;2019:9789241. doi: 10.1155/2019/9789241. PMID: 31781357; PMCID: PMC6855084.