Pharmacological effects of corn silk

Today I will talk to you about the pharmacological effects of corn silk:

1. Corn has a diuretic effect

Oral administration of 5g/kg and 10g/kg corn silk decoction significantly increased the urine volume of awake rabbits in the first and second hours after administration, and the high-dose group had a stronger effect, which was weaker than furosemide but lasting. 1.5mg/kg of water extract was injected intravenously, and the rabbits showed the first diuretic effect 4 minutes later, and a stronger second diuretic effect 13-15 minutes later. Neutralized with sodium hydroxide and dialyzed with bladder membrane, its diuretic effect remained unchanged, indicating that its diuretic component is not the inorganic salt contained. This product has a diuretic effect when taken orally or subcutaneously. After administration, the chloride concentration in the blood increases first, and then the urine volume and chloride content in the urine increase. Its diuretic mechanism is mainly extrarenal, and it has a synergistic effect when used in combination with caffeine. 8-10g corn silk is made into a decoction for oral administration. It has a mild diuretic effect on normal people, but it is weaker than Poria cocos and caffeine. There are also reports that clinical double-target controlled studies have shown that this product has no significant difference in 12h and 24h urine volume and urinary sodium excretion compared with the control group.

2. Corn’s antihypertensive effect

Corn silk water extract, ethanol water extract, ethanol extract and decoction, when injected intravenously into anesthetized dogs, cats and rabbits, have a hypotensive effect. Its decoction was injected intravenously (0.05-0.2g/kg) or perfused into the eyes (2g/kg) into anesthetized dogs, which reduced blood pressure by 30%-73% and 53%, respectively, and recovered after 2-5h and 5-10h. Corn silk boiling water dialysate (1.37-22mg/kg) was injected intravenously into normal anesthetized dogs, which produced a dose-dependent hypotensive effect, which took effect in 15min and lasted for 80min, accompanied by a significant decrease in heart rate. However, there are also reports that the same dose was fed to awake dogs for 3 weeks without a hypotensive effect; intraperitoneal injection of corn silk had a hypotensive effect on hypertensive rats, but had no effect on normal rats. Its hypotensive mechanism is mainly central, and some believe that it is mainly the result of dilation of peripheral small blood vessels. Corn silk can counteract the pressor effect of adrenaline. Small doses of corn silk have no effect on the heart, while larger doses have a high, slow and weakened heartbeat.

3. Corn’s choleretic effect

Corn silk can significantly increase bile secretion and promote bile excretion, reduce organic matter and residue in bile, and reduce viscosity, specific gravity and bilirubin content. After oral administration of corn silk preparations, people experience gallbladder reflex contraction and increased bile excretion 15-30 minutes after oral administration. This effect is slower than magnesium salts, but more lasting, and is not accompanied by increased intestinal peristalsis and loose stools. 4. Hypoglycemic effect

The fermented preparation of corn silk has a significant hypoglycemic effect on rabbits; the decoction of 7, 5g/kg, 15g/kg, 30g/kg was intragastrically administered for 7 consecutive days, which had a significant therapeutic effect on alloxan-induced diabetes in mice, and also had a significant hypoglycemic effect on glucose- and adrenaline-induced hyperglycemia in mice. However, it showed a significant dose-effect relationship, but had no significant effect on the blood pressure of normal mice. This suggests that corn silk may have the effect of a dual-muscle hypoglycemic drug.

5. Other uses of corn

Corn silk water solution 15g/kg, 30g/kg, gavage for 7 days can significantly reduce the serum cholesterol content of hypercholesterolemia mice. Corn silk contains vitamin K, which has a therapeutic effect on coagulation disorders caused by vitamin K deficiency.

6. Corn toxicity

Corn silk oral preparations are almost non-toxic, and the maximum tolerance of mice is >171g/kg for water decoction. The lethal dose of the methanol-insoluble part (diuretic component) extracted from water for rabbits is 250mg/kg, while its optimal diuretic dose is 1.5mg/kg for intravenous injection and 6mg/kg for oral administration. The above diuretic doses have little effect on the heart, respiration, peripheral blood vessels and intestinal muscles.

Effects of corn silk:

Clinical Application

1. Treatment of chronic nephritis

Take 50 grams of dried corn silk, add 600 ml of warm water, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes to get about 300 to 400 ml of liquid medicine. Filter it and take it orally once a day or in divided doses. It was used to treat 9 cases of chronic glomerulonephritis. After more than 10 months of observation, 3 of them were cured, 2 improved, and the remaining 4 had no obvious effect. The effect of corn silk is mainly manifested in diuresis, improvement of renal function, disappearance or reduction of edema, disappearance or reduction of urine protein, etc. Some cases took it for 6 consecutive months without toxic side effects.

2. Treat nephrotic syndrome. Use 60 grams of dried corn silk each time, wash and decoct. Take twice a day, morning and evening. Take 1 gram of potassium chloride at the same time, 3 times a day. 12 cases were treated clinically, 10 of which were accompanied by severe systemic edema, or pleural effusion and ascites, and 2 cases had mild edema; after 3 months of treatment, 9 cases of edema completely subsided, and 2 cases mostly subsided. The fastest case was edema completely disappeared 15 days after taking the medicine. Generally, diuresis begins 3 days after taking the medicine, and urine protein and non-protein nitrogen decrease to varying degrees. In a few cases, plasma protein increases, and phenol red test and blood pressure return to normal in some cases.

3. Treatment of acute hemolytic anemia complicated by hemoglobinuria

Two cases of this disease caused by poisoning from eating wild plants, bird-attracting sticks, were treated by taking 1-2 liang of corn silk decoction orally. The urine volume of the two cases increased 4 hours and 6 hours after taking it respectively, and the soy sauce-like hematuria was no longer visible to the naked eye; the jaundice later decreased or disappeared. During the treatment, 5% glucose saline, vitamin C and blood transfusion were given intravenously at the same time. It has been observed that corn silk not only has diuretic effects, but may also have anti-hemolytic, anti-allergic and detoxifying effects.