Use of Aqueous Extract of Corn Silk in the Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection

Abstract

Aim: Worldwide about 150 million people were diagnosed with UTI each year. The increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens necessitates medicinal plants as an alternate therapy in the management of UTI. Corn silk has been widely used as a folk medicine in Iraq. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical advantages of using the aqueous extract of corn silk in Iraqi patients with UTI. Method: This study was carried out on 42 patients of both sexes with age of 29.91±10.57 (mean ± SD); who attend to outpatient clinic in Alkindy College of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq, over the period from October 2011-March 2012; UTI is confirmed by defined symptoms together with laboratory results. Manifestation of UTI were checked clinically include suprapubic pain, urgency, frequency and dysuria; each symptom scored as follow: 0(none), 1 (mild), 2(moderate), 3(severe) and 4(very severe). All of the patients were followed up after 5 days, 10days and 20 days from starting course of treatment with aqueous extract of corn silk. Results: Administration of aqueous extract of corn silk to UTI patients result in significant P≤0.05 decreases in UTI symptoms after 5 days, 10 days and 20 days from starting the treatment compared to baseline values. The symptom score also showed significant reduction P≤0.05 reduction after 5, 10 and 20 days from starting the treatment. Conclusion: administration of aqueous extract of corn silk significantly reduce the symptoms in patient with UTI in addition to reduction in the values of pus cells, RBCs, and Crystals, without any reported side effect which indicate its efficacy and safety