Evaluation of Anti-Diabetic Potential of Corn Silk in High-Fat Diet/Streptozotocin- Induced Type 2 Diabetes Mice Model

Background: Corn silk is the elongated stigma of the female flower of Zea mays and traditionally used to treat diabetes mellitus (DM).

Objective: To investigate the beneficial effects of corn silk extract (CSE) on HFD/STZ-induced diabetic C56BL/6J mice.

Method: Establishment of a T2DM model through feeding HFD combined with STZ. T2DM were randomly divided into 5 groups: diabetic control mice treated with vehicle (model group, n=10), metformin-treated group (metformin: 150 mg/kg.d, n=10), three CS-treated groups (CS: 300, 600 and 1200 mg/kg.d, n=10). After four weeks of CS treatment, the body weight, FBG, IR, TC, TG, LDL-C, MDA and SOD levels of mice were measured. In addition, the liver tissue was histomorphologically analyzed by HE stain followed a light microscopy observation.

Results: 4-week CSE treatment significantly reduced FBG and enhanced the glucose tolerance; improved IR indicated by decreased HOMA-IR and elevated ISI; alleviated hyperlipidemia indicated by decreased TC, TG, LDL-C, and increased HDL-C; reduced oxidative stress by decreased MDA and elevated SOD activity; decreased hepatic lipid accumulation and prevented liver tissue morphological change in T2DM. In addition, CSE treatments effectively prevent the weight gain loss of diabetic mice.

Conclusion: These results confirmed the traditionally claimed benefits of corn silk on DM, which suggested that the corn silk possessed the anti-diabetic potential and could be further developed as a cheap and plant-derived agent for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: Corn silk; diabetes; high blood glucose; hyperlipidemia; insulin resistance; oxidative stress..