Corn Silk

Stigma maydis · Zea mays silk

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Lipid profile in angina¹ LDL cholesterol (multiherb formula)²	Pregnancy³ Under 18 years³

Corn silk (Stigma maydis, Zea mays silk) is the style filament of maize, used in traditional Chinese medicine and as a tea for urinary complaints. Its flavonoids and polysaccharides are credited with diuretic and glucose-lowering activity^{4, 5}. People take it for urinary tract support, for blood glucose control, and for lipid management, typically adults looking for a botanical adjunct⁴.

Human research is limited to about six small trials, mostly in glucose and lipid control with combination formulas, plus urolithiasis and intraocular pressure. A meta-analysis of corn silk decoction in angina found lower cholesterol and triglycerides, though lack of blinding may have inflated the effect¹. A placebo-controlled trial of a multiherb formula containing corn silk found a modest reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol². A 2014 review of websites found corn silk among plants promoted for kidney disease, with little human study and animal data suggesting harm⁶. Products listing corn silk are mainly liquid extracts, capsules, and powders; see Form comparison.

One of the product labels reviewed warns against concurrent use with cardiac glycosides or lithium³. The 2014 nephrology review raised possible medication interactions in chronic kidney disease⁶.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

28 sources, 16 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources