About Corn Silk
The long shiny fibers at the top of an ear of corn are called corn silk. Corn silk is used as a medicine.
Corn silk is used for bladder infections, inflammation of the urinary system, inflammation of the prostate, kidney stones, and bedwetting. It is also used to treat congestive heart failure, diabetes, high blood pressure, fatigue, and high cholesterol levels.
How does it work?
Corn silk contains proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It also contains chemicals which might work like water pills (diuretics), and it might alter blood sugar levels, and help reduce inflammation.
Function
1. It can increase the excretion of chloride. The diuretic effect is mainly outside of the kidney, to the kidney function is very weak;
2. It has lowering blood pressure and blood glucose effect, the fermentation preparation of corn stigma has a very significant reduction in blood sugar to rabbit;
3. It has a choleretic effect, increase bile secretion and promote bile excretion, can reduce organic and impurity in bile;
4. It has hemostasis effect, can accelerate the process of blood coagulation, increase blood levels of thrombin increased platelet count.
Application
1. Applied in pharmaceutical field, corn silk extract can be used as medicine to treat uncomplicated chronic cholecystitis;
2. Applied in health food field, corn silk extract can be made into preparations to play diuretic and antihypertensive function;
3. Applied in food field, corn silk extract antimicrobial activity in a specific environment is stability, therefore can be used as a potential food preservative.