Cornsilk
Botanical Description & Habitat
Zea mays
Family
Graminaceae
Common Names
Corn
Maize
Stigmata maydis
Habitat
Known worldwide, cultivated in North America
Description
Cornsilk is part of the common vegetable, corn. The fine, silky, yellowish threads are about 1 inch in length and 1/20 of an inch in diameter. Cornsilk is finely-haired, with a slightly sweet taste and no perceptible odor.
Medicinal Parts
Stigmas or styles - Fresh or dried, collected from unripe corn
Historical Properties & Uses
Cornsilk is a proven diuretic. It is plentiful, cheap, and commonly used to treat cystitis, pyelitis, oliguria, and edema. It possesses hypoglycemic, antimicrobial, cholinergic and hypotensive properties.
Fractions of cornsilk have hypertensive action; spasmolytic and choleretic effects are found in other fractions. When smoked, cornsilk is said to have a stimulant and stupefacient effect on the central nervous system, but this effect has not been experimentally verified.
Method of Action
Cornsilk is diuretic
Chinese research has confirmed the diuretic property of cornsilk in humans and experimental animals.
Another oriental study confirmed the diuretic action. Compared to other herbs examined in the study, corn silk increased urine volume in mice only moderately.
As well known and accepted as this property is in Western medicine, it has not been experimentally studied here.
Cornsilk is hypoglycemic
Cornsilk has more or less confirmed oral hypoglycemic activity. In one study the herb produced a constant hypoglycemic effect in starving rabbits. The active principle is not known.
Cornsilk has antibacterial action
Cornsilk contains antimicrobial alkaloids; these are sometimes used in insect repellents.
Some antitubercular activity has been found.
Cornsilk has cholinergic properties
A Korean pharmacological study found corn silk caused significant decreases in blood pressure in the rat and rabbit. It also manifested contractile activity on excised uterus of pregnant and non-pregnant rabbit. Very low toxicity was observed. Administration of corn silk extract to isolated frog heart produced inhibition of cardiac motility in a dose dependent manner, and blocked contractile properties of epinephrine and prostaglandin E1. In isolated intestinal tissue of the rabbit, the herb extract had no effect. Except for the observed effect on cardiac motility, the herbs action appears to be cholinergic in nature.
Other effects of cornsilk extracts
Petroleum ether and ethyl ether extracts of cornsilk apparently produce a hypertensive effects, whereas other preparations are hypotensive. Some spasmolytic effect on intestinal tissue was found with saponin-free methanol extracts, but not with other preparations. Saponin-free extracts are cholertic, but methanol extracts are not.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
Known Interactions
Since cornsilk's diuretic action increases the renal excretion of sodium and chloride, this herb may potentiate the hyperglycemic and hyperuricemic effects of glucose-elevating agents.
Diuretics such as cornsilk may also potentiate the action of antihypertensive, ganglionic or peripheral adrenergic blocking drugs, tubocurarine, and to a lesser degree, norepinephrine. It should also be noted the effects of dopamine and diuretic agents are additive.
Possible Interactions
When taken in conjunction with corticotropin (ACTH) or corticosteroids, this diuretic herb is more prone to produce hypokalemia.
In addition, the use of diuretics, such as cornsilk, may require dosage adjustments of antidiabetic drugs. Diuretic action of cornsilk may also reduce renal clearance of lithium.
It should also be noted an initial dosage of captopril (an antihypertensive) may cause a severe drop in blood pressure within three hours if the person is also using a strong diuretic.
The cholinergic effects of cornsilk may be blocked by procainamide and quinidine, other anticholinergic drugs, and herbs such as thorn apple. In addition, the cholinergic action of cornsilk may be antagonized by antihistamines, anticholinergics (atropine), nitrites, nitrates, pentaerythritol tetranitrate and tetraethylammonium chloride. Conversely, the cholinergic action of cornsilk may potentiate depolarizing muscle relaxants such as decamethonium; if the interaction is severe, respiratory paralysis may result.
Tannin in cornsilk may potentiate the antibiotic activity of echinacea. The tannin in tea made from the herb may be inactivated by the addition of milk or cream.
Comments
Prolonged use of this diuretic may affect certain laboratory test results, such as electrolytes (especially potassium and sodium), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid, glucose, and protein bound iodine (PBI).
When used in conjunction with aminoglycoside antibiotics, cornsilk may produce ototoxicity. In combination with ethyl alcohol, barbiturates or narcotics, it may also produce orthostatic hypotension.
Cornsilk may enhance the nephrotoxicity of cephaloridine and strong diuretics such as this, in conjunction with indomethacin, may produce natriuretic effects.
It should also be noted as a strong diuretic, cornsilk may produce digitalis toxicity if used with digitalis glycosides.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
Cornsilk possesses no known toxicity.
Preparation & Administration
Three times a day
Tincture
1:5 in 25% alcohol, 5-15 ml
Dried styles and stigmas of unripe corn
4-6 grams
Tea
made from 1-2 tsp dried stigma and styles
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
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