corn silk

Corn silk (*Stigma maydis*) is a traditional medicinal botanical and agricultural byproduct of maize (*Zea mays* L.) cultivation. It is rich in bioactive compounds including flavonoids, pectic polysaccharides, saponins, and sterols. Traditionally used in Chinese and other folk medicines, it is currently being investigated for its therapeutic potential in metabolic syndrome, hypertension, obesity, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Its pharmacological effects are attributed to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-modulating activities, often mediated through the gut-liver axis, modulation of gut microbiota (e.g., *Akkermansia*), and signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt and NF-κB.

Other names

Stigma maydis玉米须maize silkCSPCSE