• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.1-11
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• 2021

Objectives: Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder, which is characterized by proteinuria, edema (swelling), and hyperlipidemia. Maydis Stigma (Corn silk) has been widely used in Asia as a traditional medicine and is known to have a diuretic effect and is used for the treatment of edema and indigestion. Methods: The aim of this study is to investigate the improvement effect of Maydis Stigma in treating nephrotic syndrome induced by puromycin aminonucleoside. Sprague-Dawley rats were intravenously injected with 75 mg/kg/day puromycin aminonucleoside, then treated with either Losartan or 200 mg/kg/day Maydis Stigma for seven days. Results: Maydis Stigma significantly decreased ascites and proteinuria level. Plasma levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and plasma creatinine reduced significantly by Maydis Stigma. In addition, treatment with Maydis Stigma attenuated histological damage. Treatment with Maydis Stigma also restored podocin expression and reduced inflammation markers such as intracellular adhesion molecules (ICAM-1), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1). Conclusions: Maydis Stigma ameliorates kidney injury in nephrotic syndrome rat models. Maydis Stigma exerts a renoprotective effect owing to its anti-inflammatory effects and reductions of ascites and proteinuria. Thus, these results indicate that Maydis Stigma is likely to be a promising agent in the treatment of nephrotic syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.201-208
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• 2011

Obesity occur from the imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Obesity is a complex chronic disease that is suggested to cause other metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and arteriosclerosis. In this study, our purpose is to investigate the anti-hyperglycemic and anti-obesitic effects of Maydis stigma water extract in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and db/db mice. Maydis stigma water extract at dose of 100 and 500 ${\mu}g/ml$ slowly inhibited cell viability as compared to that of control in mature adipocytes. Also, the additions of 50 and 250 ${\mu}g/ml$ of Maydis stigma water extract significantly inhibited the lipid accumulations and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein(C/EBP) ${\alpha}$ and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor(PPAR) ${\gamma}$ expressions with dose-dependent manner in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Maydis stigma water extract at 250, 500, and 1000 ${\mu}g/ml$ only showed the increasing pattern on lipolysis activity. The oral treatment of Maydis stigma water extract (100 or 400 mg/kg body weight) in db/db mice only showed tendency to decrease body weight, food efficiency ratio (FER), HbA1c, blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and the adipocyte size of in db/db mice. However, Maydis stigma water extract increased the insulin level in a dose dependent manner. Thus these results indicate that Maydis stigma water extracxt inhibits adipogenesis through regulation of C/EBP${\alpha}$ and PPAR${\gamma}$ expressions in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and shows anti-hyperglycemic effect through increase of insulin secretion in db/db mice.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 1973

Zea mays Linne belonging to Graminae family has been ordinarily made use of foods and fodder. Maydis Stigma, the stigma of maize, has been discarded without any special application with the exception of being applied as diuretic in the sphere of Chinese medicine, moreover, the pharmacological research toward Maydis Stigma as a medical herb has not been regretfully undertaken at all. The authors hereby paid attention to this point of view and made experiment to find out whether the water extract of Maydis Stigma might possess some pharmacological effect on the motility of the isolated rabbit uterus. The experiment was performed making the use of several agents related to the uterine motility such as acetylcholine, pilocarpine, epinephrine, atropine, barium chloride, quinine sulfate and oxytocin. The motility of the isolated rabbit uterus in Tyrode' solution was recorded with the electric kymograph according to Magnus method. The results of the experiment are as follows. 1. The motility of the isolated pregnant and nonpregnant rabbit uterus represents the tendency of gradual contractility in proportion to the concentration of ZW $10^{-4}$, $5{\times}10^{-4}$ and $10^{-3}$. 2. The uterine contractile effect of ZW $10^{-3}$ probably seems to antagonize the effect of epinephrine $10^{-6}$. 3. ZW $10^{-3}$ does not seem to have the significance with barium chloride, quinine sulfate and oxytocin respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.21-26
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• 1972

Zea mays Linne, which belongs to Graminae family, has been ordinarily used as edibles and fodder. Its stigma, Maydis Stigma, has been discarded without any special application with the exception of being used as diuretic in the sphere of Chinese medicine. Moreover, the pharmacological research toward Maydis Stigma as a medicinal herb has not been regretfully undertaken at all. The authors hereby paid attention to this point of view and made experiment to find out whether the water extract of Maydis Stigma might possess some pharmacological effect on the blood pressure of the rats or not. $LD_{50}$ to the mice was determined and the experiment was performed making the use of several agents related to the blood pressure such as atropine, Avil, dichloroisoproterenol and hexamethonium. The blood pressure of the rats and rabbits was recorded with the equipment of polygraph (Grass model 7 DAB) and its accessory, Statham pressure transducer. The results of the experiment are as follows. 1. $LD_{50}$ to the mice weighing 20g is determined 1,125 mg/kg. 2. The blood pressure manifests the gradual decrease by the rate of $-15.50{\pm}3.32,\;-22.14{\pm}8.73$ and $-46.25{\pm}5.17\;mmHg$ in proportion to ZW 25, 50 and 150mg/kg administered to the rats. 3. The blood pressure also manifests the same gradual decrease in proportion to ZW administered to the rabbits. 4. It is of significant difference to manifest the increase of $+5.14{\pm}4.65\;mmHg$ in the rats pretreated with atropine as compared with $-22.14{\pm}8.73\;mmHg$ of control group when administered each ZW 50mg/kg. 5. The administration of ZW 50 mg/kg to the rats pretreated with Avil, dichloroisoproterenol and hexamethonium does not manifest the significant difference in comparison with the control group.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.131-144
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• 2015

Objective : This study was conducted to investigate anti-obesity effects of mixed-Powder(Raphani Semen, Coicis Semen, Poria, Plantaginis Testa & Theae folium)(HP) & mixed water extract(Citri Pericarpium, Crataegi Fructus, Maydis Stigma, Allium Skin) (HE) in mice fed a high-fat diet. Method : 50 Female ICR mice were divided into six groups; Normal group (Ve), high-fat diet group (Po), Po+HP(0.6g/kg) group(HP), Po+HE(1g/kg) group(HE), Po+(HP+HE) group(HPE), Po+(HP+HE)*2 group(DHPE). For 8 weeks, these groups were fed their respective diets. Body weight, liver weight and weights of adipose tissues, GOT/GPT index changes & Blood Glucose index changes were measured respectively. Lipid profiles in serum were analyzed by kit of blood. Results : Groups HP, HE, HPE, DHPE had significantly reduced body weight, liver weight, adipose tissue weights and GOT/GPT index, blood glucose index compared to the Po group. Also, serum triglyceride and total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, were significantly reduced when compared to the Po group. Group G1 had significantly increased high density lipoprotein levels. Conclusion : Mixed powder (HP) & mixed water extract (HE) show anti-obesity effects in mice fed a high-fat diet.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.151-160
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this research was to examine dietary therapy on the edema based on the literary findings, for clinical treatment and prevention of the edema. Methods : This Research was examined on histories, compositions, applications, and effects of dietetic treatment about 100 cases of dietary therapy of the edema from Chinese literatures. Results : 1. Various vegetables and animals including herbs, grains, vegetables, fruits, food and drink were used for the dietary therapy. 2. Methods of the preparation for use as therapeutics were decoction, pulvis, gruel, cake, tea, paste, gelatin and etc. 3. Frequently used materials were Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, Cucumis sativus L. Coix lachrymajobi var. mayuen, Zea mays, Maydis Stigma, Citrullus vulgaris, Zingiber officinale, Cinnamomum cassia Blume, Allium scorodorpasum var. viviparum Regel, Camellia sinensis, Armeniacae amarum Semen, Phyllostachys bambusoides, Luffa cylindrica, Dioscorea batatas Decne, Panax ginseng, Brassica oleracea and Raphanus sativus. Conclusion : Though dietary therapy for the edema is not based on clinical or experimental data, but through experience. It is mostly based on Yin-Yang and five elements, visceral manifestation, channels and their collateral channels and Oriental herbal medicine theories. If we use them properly according to oriental medicine method, it will be effective on treating and preventing the edema.