The season for playing the 'mouth organ' is here again! Recent reports indicate that a meal of maize or rather corn could among other things, be the best way of preventing colon cancer and improving fertility among men and women. CHUKWUMA MUANYA reports.

HOT, fresh corn-on-the-cob is an almost essential part of any mid-rainy season brunch. Corn meal has been used by Nigerians for a wide range of ailments.

Previous local studies by Nigerian researchers show that corn could be used to lower high cholesterol levels, reduce risk of diabetes, heart attacks, colon cancer and the severity of conditions like asthma and migraine, bring relief in bladder and prostrate problems, induce weight loss, and alleviate some of the uncomfortable symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Indeed, it makes an effective poultice and has been used in Nigerian folk medicine to treat bruises, swellings, sores, boils, and similar conditions. Some naturopaths have treated itching skin, followed by sores when scratched, by burning old corncobs and holding the affected part over the smoke.

But most recent research by naturopaths suggests that roasted maize has also been used in improving fertility among men and women in Nigeria.

A naturopath at Elizabeth Kafaru Herbal Clinic, Ijaiye-Ogba, Lagos, Dr Godwin Ihesie, told The Guardian: "Maize helps men with low sperm production (oligospermia) and enhances production of healthy babies. Men who get an erection but are unable to cause conception can be treated by eating young (soft) boiled maize."

A study by researchers at the Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) indicates that corn could be used in the treatment of mumps (causes impotence in men) and is a concomitant ingredient in the multi prolonged treatment of hygromas.

The lead researcher, Bisola Jimoh, told The Guardian: "The water left after maize corns have been boiled or steamed is very instrumental in treating peptic/gastric ulcers and other accompanying gastro-intestinal ulcerations. Ash generated from burning maize husks is useful in the treatment of respiratory illnesses like actinomycosis and persistent cough.

"The water left after maize corns have been boiled or steamed is also useful in treating measles. Treatment is by eating the steamed maize corns and drinking water that remains after steaming or boiling process.

"Water left over after steaming or boiling maize corns can also be used as a concomitant remedial component in the treatment and eradication of worm infestations.

"The hard outer cover of the dry maize seeds is an important component in overcoming impotence and is a useful concomitant remedy in treating pyrennes disease.

"After steaming the maize corn, the resultant water after maize has been boiled or steamed can be administered to patients with dyspepsia and other gastro-intestinal discomforts like grumbling stomachs.

"Water from which maize has been boiled or steamed is utilised as a concomitant herbal remedy in combination with vernonia amygdalina (omululuuza) in the treatment of demartological ailments (skin eruptions).

For children who find it hard to walk (delayed milestones), remove the maize seeds from the corn, grind and boil for a short time, and give child to each and drink.

The coverings (ekikuta) of the maize corn when boiled, the resulting liquid can be used to keep off body odour. The affected individual drinks and bathes with part of this solution.

Using a new method, researchers say they have discovered that whole grains like corn, whole wheat, oats and brown rice exhibit a level of anti-cancer activity that is equal to, and sometimes greater than the level known to occur in vegetables and fruits.

In findings reported at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) International Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer, researcher, Dr. Rui Hai Liu, and his colleagues at Cornell University say they have found that whole grains contain many potent antioxidants that have gone undocumented for years because researchers have not known how to look for them.

The findings may begin to clear up one of the most controversial and confusing questions in contemporary diet-cancer science; the role of high-fibre diets in lowering colon cancer risk.

Scientifically called Zea mays, Indian Corn, Sweet Corn or rather Maize belongs to the plant family Gramineae. To the French and Portuguese it is called mais and milho respectively.

Locally, it is ivibowen (white-grained variety) or oka-azen (yellow-grained variety) in Edo; masaraa in Hausa; aniwo in Idoma; aakaagwa in Igala; oka in Igbo; igbado in Yoruba; kaba ejegi in Nupe.

Phytochemical analysis of maize shows that it contains: flavonoids, maysin, alkaloids, allantoin, saponins, volatile oil, mucilage, vitamins A, C and K, potassium, starch, sugar, fat, salts, yellow oil, maizenic acid, azotized matter, gluten, dextrine, glucose, cellulose, silica, phosphates of lime and magnesia, soluble salts of potassa and soda, calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamine,riboflavin, and niacin.

In addition to its beneficial effects on the digestive system and the heart, the fibre found in corn has been found to help stabilise blood sugar levels. It has been suggested that if one has insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes, corn may help balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy. Studies of high fibre diets and blood sugar levels have shown the dramatic benefits provided by high fibre foods.

Researchers compared two groups of people with Type II diabetes who were fed different amounts of high fibre foods. One group ate the standard diabetic diet, which contained 24 grams of fibre/day, while the other group ate a diet containing 50 grams of fibre/day. Those who ate the diet higher in fibre had lower levels of both plasma glucose (blood sugar) and insulin (the hormone that helps blood sugar get into cells). The high fibre group also reduced their total cholesterol by nearly seven per cent, their triglyceride levels by 10.2 per cent and their Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) - the most dangerous form of cholesterol levels by 12.5 per cent.

Studies have shown that corn's contribution to heart health lies not just in its fibre, but in the significant amounts of folate, niacin, and magnesium that corn supplies.

Corn is reported to be rich in folate (B-vitamin) needed to prevent birth defects, also helps to lower levels of homocysteine, and amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle.

According to reports, homocysteine can directly damage blood vessels, so elevated blood levels of this dangerous molecule are an independent risk factor for heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease, and are found in between 20-40 per cent of patients with heart disease.

It has been suggested that consumption of 100 per cent of the daily value (DV) of folate would, by itself, reduce the number of heart attacks suffered by Nigerians each year by 10 per cent. Folate-rich diets are also associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.

A cup of corn reportedly supplies 19 per cent of the DV for folate along with 18.9 per cent of the DV for niacin, another B vitamin that may lessen cardiovascular disease risk by helping to lower high cholesterol.

Studies show that a deficiency of magnesium is not only associated with heart attack but that immediately following a heart attack, lack of sufficient magnesium promotes free radical injury to the heart. Due, in part, to its relaxant effects, the magnesium found in corn has also been shown to reduce the severity of conditions like asthma and migraine, lower high blood pressure, and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. A cup of corn provides 16.4 per cent of the DV for magnesium.

Consuming foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid found in highest amounts in corn, pumpkin, papaya, red bell peppers, tangerines, oranges and peaches, may significantly lower one's risk of developing lung cancer.

A study published in Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers and prevention reviewed dietary and lifestyle data collected from 63,257 adults in Shanghai, China, who were followed for eight years, during which time 482 cases of lung cancer were diagnosed. Those eating the most crytpoxanthin-rich foods showed a 27 per cent reduction in lung cancer risk. When current smokers were evaluated, those who were also in the group consuming the most cryptoxanthin-rich foods were found to have a 37 per cent lower risk of lung cancer compared to smokers who ate the least of these health-protective foods.

Studies have also shown that corn is an excellent source of thiamin, providing one-third (32.7 per cent) of the daily value for this nutrient in a single cup. Thiamin is reported to be an integral participant in enzymatic reactions central to energy production and is also critical for brain cell/cognitive function.

"This is because thiamin is needed for the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for memory, whose lack has been found to be a significant contributing factor in age-related impairment in mental function (senility) and Alzheimer's disease. In fact, Alzheimer's disease is clinically characterised by a decrease in acetylcholine levels," said a nutritionist at National Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos, Dr. Rosemary Anyanwu.

She added: "In addition to its thiamin, corn is a good source of pantothenic acid as well as niacin-vitamin B3. Both pantothenic acid and niacin are necessary for carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism. Pantothenic acid is an especially valuable B-vitamin when you are under stress since it supports the function of the adrenal glands. A cup of corn supplies 28.8 per cent of the daily value for pantothenic acid along with 18.9 per cent of the daily value for niacin."

For urinary tract infections, Ihesie recommends use of corn silk as an infusion, fresh or dried. "Take one cup, 200 ml three times a day. Use a decoction of the meal as a poultice for wounds and sores. As a tincture take three ml (50 drops) three times a day for conditions such as cystitis.

"Corn silk works mainly in the urinary tract. The saponins largely act as an anti-inflammatory in the body and the allantoin as a healing agent, with the mucilage giving a demulcent or soothing effect to irritated tissues. The potassium balances out the diuretic effect of the herb, which is used in conditions of water retention. Their combined action is useful for a number of urinary tract conditions, such as cystitis and prostatitis. Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin that is essential for blood clotting within the body.

"Corn silk is thought to stimulate production of bile, improving its flow from the liver through the bile ducts. Research in China indicates that corn silk lowers blood pressure and reduces blood-clotting time.

Partly due to its significant potassium content, corn silk is a useful diuretic for almost all problems of the urinary system. Corn silk soothes and relaxes the lining of the urinary tubules and bladder, relieving irritation and improving urine flow and elimination. Corn silk is also helpful for frequent urination caused by irritation of the bladder and urethral walls, and for difficulty in passing urine such as in prostate disorders.

Corn silk is thought to have a beneficial effect on the kidneys, reducing kidney stone formation and relieving some of the symptoms of existing stones.

"Chronic cystitis can be relieved with corn silk and it is a useful adjunct to other treatments for acute cystitis. In China, corn silk is used to treat fluid retention and jaundice. It has also been reported to be used in diuretic and mild stimulant."

"A good emollient poultice for ulcers, swellings, rheumatic pains. An infusion of the parched corn allays nausea and vomiting in many diseases. Cornmeal makes a palatable and nutritious gruel and is an excellent diet for convalescents. A decoction of the leaves and roots is used in the treatment of strangury, dysuria and gravel.

"The corn silks are cholagogue, demulcent, diuretic, lithontripic, mildly stimulant and vasodilator. They also act to reduce blood sugar levels and so are used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus as well as cystitis, gonorrhoea, gout among others. The silks are harvested before pollination occurs and are best used when fresh because they tend to lose their diuretic effect when stored and also become purgative."

Ihesie continued: "A decoction of the cob is used in the treatment of nose bleeds and menorrhagia. The seed is diuretic and a mild stimulant. It is a good emollient poultice for ulcers, swellings and rheumatic pains, and is widely used in the treatment of cancer, tumours and warts. It contains the cell-proliferant and wound-healing substance allantoin, which is widely used in herbal medicine (especially from the herb comfrey, Symphytum officinale) to speed the healing process."

Corroborating Ihesie, Anyanwu and Jimoh, a naturopath at Ugo Health Services, Festac Town, Lagos said: "Corn is considered good in cases of emaciation, anemia, constipation and as an overall body building food. The balance of unsaturated versus saturated fatty acids in corn oil helps lower the blood lipid levels.

"The suggested dose of corn oil is two tablespoonfuls taken upon arising and before the evening meal for a few weeks or months. Corn steeped in lye is reported to be used as an intestinal anti-spasmodic. Blue corn meal mush was applied hourly to bullet wounds. Others have used a corn meal poultice for skin ulcers, swellings, and rheumatic pains. A cup of parched corn to two quarts of water lightly boiled for 20 minutes then strained and drunk has been found useful in cases of nausea and vomiting in many diseases. A cornmeal gruel is excellent for convalescents. Cornbread is thought to be of benefit for those suffering from kidney or liver diseases.

"A tea made from corn silk (the tassels, which is found in the tip of maize) makes a person pass more urine. This can help reduce swelling of the feet, especially in pregnant women. Boil large handful of corn silk in water and drink one to two glasses daily. It is not dangerous to health."

For years, scientists have wondered why populations that consume diets high in fibre-rich whole grains consistently have lower risk for colon cancer, yet short-term clinical trials involving small groups of subjects yield inconsistent results.

The answer may lie in the fact that clinical trials have tended to overlook a possible role for whole grains in favour of focusing on the role of fibre alone in lowering colon cancer risk, often to the point of giving subjects isolated fibre supplements.

Liu's revelation about whole grains' protective activity suggests that future clinical studies would benefit from a broader perspective -- one that accounts for the collective, interactive effects of whole grains themselves, the fibre they contain, and the various protective substances, Liu's work has revealed.

For years, scientists have been measuring the antioxidant power of many natural plant substances (which are collectively called phytochemicals). But researchers tended to measure only the "free" forms of these substances - the kind that dissolve quickly and are thus immediately absorbed into the bloodstream.

They did not concern themselves with the "bound" forms of these substances - the kind that are attached to the walls of plant cells and do not get absorbed into the bloodstream until they are released by intestinal bacteria during digestion.

"In vegetables and fruits, antioxidants mostly occur in the free, soluble form. But we discovered that the majority of antioxidants found in whole grains occur in the bound form," said Liu.

"And previously, researchers examined whole grains with the same process used to measure antioxidants in vegetables and fruits. As a result, the amount and activity of antioxidants in whole grains has been vastly underestimated for years."

Liu believes his findings may partially explain why diets high in whole grains can help reduce the incidence of colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Liu's research shows dramatic differences between the antioxidant composition of vegetables and fruits and whole grains.

Phenolics are one major class of phytochemicals that have been widely studied. Included in this broad category are such compounds as quercetin, curcumin, ellagic acid, catechins, and many others that make frequent appearances in the health news.

"Phenolics are powerful antioxidants that work in multiple ways to prevent disease," said Liu.

Liu and his colleagues measured the relative amounts of phenolics, and the forms in which they occur in common vegetables like broccoli and spinach.

They found that on average, phenolics in the "free" form made up 76 per cent of the total number of phenolics present. In common fruits like apple and red grape, "free" phenolics again averaged about 76 per cent of the total.

In whole grains, on the other hand, "free" phenolics accounted for less than one per cent of the total. Ninety-nine per cent of the phenolics occurred in the "bound" form.

Yet despite these relative differences in phenolics make-up, the total antioxidant activity in produce and in whole grains is similar, according to Liu's research.

The researchers measured the antioxidant activity of different foods, and assigned each a number based on a formula (micromoles of vitamin C equivalent per gram.) Broccoli and spinach measured 81 and 80, respectively, in total antioxidant activity, while apple and banana measured 98 and 65.

Of the whole grains tested, corn had the highest total antioxidant activity at 181, followed by whole wheat at 77, oats at 75 and brown rice at 56.

Liu believes that the key to whole grain's cancer-fighting potential lies in its very wholeness. A grain of whole wheat is composed of three parts; endosperm, bran and germ. When wheat or any grain is refined, the bran and germ are removed.

"These two parts make up 15 to 17 per cent of the weight," Liu said, "but most of the protective phytochemicals are in them, as well as the fibre. Eighty-three per cent of the phenolics occur in the bran and germ."

Liu says his recent findings on the antioxidant content of whole grains reinforce the need to eat a variety of foods for good health.

"Different plant foods have different phytochemicals. These substances go to different organs, tissues and cells, where they perform different functions. What your body needs to ward off disease is this synergistic effect, this teamwork that is produced by eating a wide variety of plant foods, including whole grains," he said.