Zea mays: From Diet to Drug

The world's most significant cereal crop is maize (Zea mays L.). It's a good source of both nutrients and phytochemicals. Mays means 'life giver,' while Zea means' sustaining life.' Zea mays is one of the world’s oldest and most dynamic crop species, and its use in a variety of recipes has made it popular in the modern world as well. Corn-based foods such as cornmeal, maize flakes, popcorn, "makki ki roti," and corn soup demonstrate the crop's global domination. As a result, maize has become a craze among young people nowadays. It's a nutrient-rich, well-drained annual monoecious sunny plant. From the husk to the corn silk, every part of the maize is useful to society. Corn products can be used in over 3,500 different ways. Secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, maizenic acid, vitamins B1, K, and minerals like as potassium, phosphorus, and zinc are found in the plant. Because of the presence of Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA) lectin or GNA-maize, it is thought to have anti-HIV activity.A healthy child or adult requires only a spoonful of maize oil to meet their necessary fatty acid needs. Maize has long been used as an anti-diarrheal, anti-prostatitic, anti-lithiasis, anti-tumor, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant. Decoction of maize silk, roots, leaves, and cob are used for bladder problems, nausea, vomiting, and stomach complaints. In this review paper, we described the pharmacological activities, phytoconstituents, nutritional value, and traditional uses of corn varieties, as well as their pharmacological activities, phytoconstituents, and nutritional value. Maize has a wide range of applications, including culinary, medical, and industrial.