Maize (corn): purifying and diuretic remedy and much more…

Maize, also known as corn (grass family), is so common and well-known that it’s useless to describe it.
But maybe we can make at least a sex distinction: male flowers are arranged in a cluster, forming the so-called tassel, whereas female flowers form maize ears, with combs on lower leaves. They are wrapped in large bracts, with long styles coming out of the ear (the silks).
Herbal medicine uses styles (or stigmas) which must be gathered at flowering time in June-July.

It’s important to underline that styles gathered for herbal purpose must not come from agricultural cultivations to avoid the absorbing of toxic substances due to chemical dressing. You have to inform about what is declared as “biological”.
The drying process takes place in the sun, in thin layers to obtain a perfectly dried up product in the fastest time. Dried up styles are delicate and they easily deteriorate if put in a damp place. Therefore they have to be kept in hermetic glass pots.
Styles are one palm tall, flat as a tape, slightly hairy, with a characteristic smell and their colour can be white, green, yellowish or even dark red.
They are used mainly as diuretic and have a depurative, sudoriferal and anti-inflammatory action. Diuretic properties of corn styles are useful to eliminate body toxins or in case of water retention.
They are recommended as adjuvant for all those who suffer from gout, arthritis, rheumatisms and cystitis.
Compounds based on maize, since they contain allantoin, are used externally as anti-inflammatory and to help healing.

Diuretic and depurative infusion: Prepare an infusion with a tsp of dried styles into a cup of boiling hot water. Let it infuse for 5 minutes, drain, sweeten with honey and drink 1 cup three times per day.

Anti-inflammatory and healing compresses: prepare a decoction with a handful of dried corn styles in 1 l of water.
Boil for 10 minutes, let it cool, drain and use to make compresses and rubbings.

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