EXPLORING THE THERAPEUTIC AND NUTRACEUTICAL POTENTIAL OF STIGMA MAYDIS: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Maize Silk (Stigma maydis) is a byproduct of Zea mays and is essentially a stigma that comes from the female maize blossoms. It is a member of the Poaceae family and is often either light green or golden brown in colour. Proteins, vitamins, polysaccharides, Ca, K, Mg, and Na salts, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, volatile and fixed oils and steroids like stigmasterol and sitosterol are all found in corn silk. The safest and best solvent for extracting the active components of corn silk is ethanol. As an anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-diabetic, anti-fatigue, anti-microbial and antioxidant as well as neuroprotective, diuretic, kaliuretic effects, kidney stones, urinary tract infection, bedwetting and obesity Corn silk (CS) has been widely used traditionally and medicinally for its many therapeutic uses in various countries. A thorough analysis of the literature revealed that the phytochemicals included in corn silk such as flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins and saponins are the constituents responsible for reducing blood glucose levels.