ABSTRACT
Corn silk (Stigma maydis) is a local remedy used for treatment of many diseases because of its rich phytochemical stores. It is used in the treatment of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, etc. It is a rich store of antioxidant hence its beneficial effects in conditions with oxidative injury. The corn silk is a very essential herbal plant used by Chinese, French, Americans, and Turkish traditionally for the treatment of numerous diseases. There are several claims of corn silk extract’s biological activities such as lipid lowering, hypoglycemic, anti-hypertensive, and anti-diabetic effects by various investigators. Metabolites derived from corn silk like maysin and polysaccharides have been implicated to have some beneficial health promoting effects. Interestingly, corn silk extract was found to suppress angiotensin converting enzyme, a crucial enzyme in the management of hypertension. Therefore, this review intends to give a detailed elucidation of the health benefits of corn silk extract.
