Pinyin: Yumixu
Aliases
Yumai Xu, Yushushu Rui, Bangzi Mao.
Source
Internal use: decoct 3-10 g.Zea maysL. dried style and stigma.
Botanical Description
1. For pneumonia: Renshen 6 g, decoct in water and take orally. 2. For deficiency of both Qi and Blood: Renshen 10 g, Danggui 10 g, Shudihuang 15 g, decoct in water and take orally. 3. For palpitations and insomnia: Renshen 6 g, Fushen 10 g, Yuanzhi 6 g, decoct in water and take orally. 4. For impotence and nocturnal emission: Renshen 10 g, Roucongrong 10 g, Tusizi 10 g, decoct in water and take orally. 5. For thirst due to fluid consumption: Renshen 6 g, Maidong 10 g, Wuweizi 6 g, decoct in water and take orally.
Habitat and Distribution
Widely cultivated throughout various regions of China.
Harvesting and Processing
Harvested when corn is mature, pick the style, and dry in the sun.
Medicinal Properties
This product often gathers into loose clusters, with styles that are linear or filamentous; intact styles can be up to 30 mm long and approximately 0.5 mm in diameter, colored pale green, yellow-green, to brownish-red, lustrous and slightly translucent. The stigma is 2-lobed and divergent, up to 3 mm long, and the texture is soft. Those that are soft and lustrous are considered superior.
Chemical Constituents
This product contains cryptoxanthin, vitamin C, inositol, sitosterol, oxalic acid, and other components.
Pharmacology
Diuresis; lowers blood pressure; promotes bile secretion; lowers blood sugar; lowers cholesterol.
Properties and Channel Entry
Sweet, bland, neutral. Enters the Kidney, Stomach, Liver, and Gallbladder channels.
Functions and Indications
Diuresis to reduce edema, clears the Liver and benefits the Gallbladder
Dosage and Administration
Oral: decoct 15-30 g; for large doses 60-90 g; or calcine to retain property and grind into powder. External use: appropriate amount, burn and inhale smoke.
Prescriptions
1. For treating schistosomiasis cirrhosis with ascites: 30-60 g corn silk, 15 g wax gourd seed, 30 g red bean. Decoct in water, take 1 dose daily, 15 doses constitute 1 course of treatment. (Food Chinese Medicine and Prescriptions) 2. For treating urinary tract infection: 15 g corn silk, 45 g Lysimachia christinae, 30 g Dioscorea septemloba. Decoct in water. (Hubei Chinese Herbal Medicine Record) 3. For treating nephritis and early-stage kidney stones: Use an appropriate amount of corn silk, decoct into a strong decoction, take frequently. (Guiyang Secret Prescriptions and Empirical Formulas) 4. For treating hematuria: 30 g corn silk, 15 g shepherd's purse flower, 18 g white imperata root. Decoct in water, remove residue, take in 2 divided doses daily. (Food Chinese Medicine and Prescriptions) 5. For treating hypertension accompanied by epistaxis or hematemesis: 30 g each of corn silk and banana peel, 9 g Gardenia jasminoides. Decoct in water, cool, then take. (Food Chinese Medicine and Prescriptions) 6. For treating acute and chronic hepatitis: 30 g each of corn silk and Pseudostellaria heterophylla. Decoct in water, take 1 dose daily, divided into morning and evening doses. For jaundice cases, add Artemisia capillaris and decoct together; for chronic cases, add 30 g Polygonum cuspidatum root and decoct together. (National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine) 7. For treating cholelithiasis (hepatobiliary duct or common bile duct sand-like stones, or smaller biliary stones in quiescent stage): 30 g each of corn silk and reed rhizome, 15 g Artemisia capillaris. Decoct in water, take 1 dose daily. (National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine) 8. For treating diabetes: 60 g corn silk, 30 g each of Coix lacryma-jobi seed and mung bean. Decoct in water. (Fujian Materia Medica Record)
