Indian Corn Zea mays or Maize apart from being a staple food in for example most of sub saharan Africa, also has some medicinal properties. Indian Corn or maize is originally from the Americas where American Indians used it as staple food for four thousand years. The main constituents of indian corn or maize are flavonoids, alkaloids, allantoin, saponins, volatile oil, mucilage, vitamin C and K and potassium. The main part of maize known for medicinal purposes are the soft filaments hanging from ears and husks called the silk.
Medicinal Uses of Indian Corn.
- Indian corn meal has been used by the native Americans as a poultice to treat bruises, swellings, sores and boils
- Drinking Indian or maize silk tea also helps in reducing weight
- The Chickasaw Indians treated itching skin, followed by sores when scratched by burning old corncobs and holding the affected part over the smoke.
- Due to its high potassium content cornsilk can be used as a diuretic to treat all problems of the urinary system.
- Indian corn tea can also be used effectively against nephritis, cystitis, gout and rheumatism. It also helps in treating bedwetting of children or older people.
For all the above disorders take one tablespoon of tea every two to three hours. Take note also that if corn silk is not completely dried , it loses it diuretic properties and becomes laxative. To prepare an infusion boil a quarter liter of water and pour this hot water over one heaped teaspoon of corn silk. This infusion should not be sweetened to for better results
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