Thursday 31 October 2013

Chinese #Herbs – Yu Mi Xu (Stigma Maydis)

Yu Mi Xu is also known as Corn Silk. The sweet, slightly warm and neutral herb has been used in TCM to treat infection of bladder, difficulty in urination, edema, infectious jaundice, diabetes, hypertension, bladder stones, etc., as it resolves edema, clears Heat, soothes the Liver, treats hypotension, reduces glycemia, etc., by enhancing the function of kidney, liver and gall bladder channels.

Ingredients
1. α-tocopherolguinone
2. β-sitosterol
3. Stigmasterol
4. Benzoic acid
5. Citric acid
6. Tartaric acid
7. Oxalic acid
8. Maizenic acid
9. Aflatoxin
10. Etc.

Health Benefits
1. Anti-diabetic effects
In the study to investigate the effect of Polysaccharides of corn silk (POCS) extracted by distilled water and precipitated by 80% ethanol solutionfor its anti-diabetic effect on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats, showed thatthe POCS showed good antidepressant activity and lengthened remarkably the activity time during the autonomic activities test and exhibited a dose dependent activity(1).
2. Glycaemic metabolism
In the study to investigate the effects of corn silk on blood glucose, glycohemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin secretion, damaged pancreatic beta-cells, hepatic glycogen and gluconeogenesis in alloxan and adrenalin induced hyperglycemic mice, indicated that corn silk extract markedly reduced hyperglycemia in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The action of corn silk extract on glycaemic metabolism is not via increasing glycogen and inhibiting gluconeogenesis but through increasing insulin level as well as recovering the injured beta-cells(2).
3. Anti-inflammatory activity
In the study to test the anti-inflammatory efficacy of corn silk extract (CSEX) in a rat mode, showed that
retreatment with CSEX reduced Cg-induced pleurisy exudate, number of leukocytes, oxidative stress, C3 protein level, and O (2)(-) levels at the inflammatory site. Pretreatment with CSEX also inhibited TNF-α, IL-1β, VEGF-α, and IL-17A and blocked inflammation-related events (ICAM-1 and iNOS) by activation of NF-κB(3).
4. Antioxidant activity
In a total of total of 36 compounds, which comprised 99.4% of the extract, identified by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in the volatile dichloromethane extract obtained from Egyptian corn silk, found that the ethanol extract inhibited DPPH activity by 84% at a level of 400 microg/mL. All samples tested via the beta-carotene bleaching assay also exhibited satisfactory antioxidant activity with clear dose responses(4).
5. Etc.

Side Effects
1. Do not use the herb in case of spleen deficiency with yeast infection.
2. Overdoses with Aflatoxin can be toxic to the liver
3. Etc.

Sources
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22353397
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19930631
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21898269
(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17914872

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