BACKGROUND Cranberry is one of the most commonly used herbs during pregnancy. The herb has been used traditionally against urinary tract infections. No studies are found that specifically address the risk of malformations after use of cranberry during pregnancy. The aim of the study was to investigate the safety of cranberry use during pregnancy, including any effects on congenital malformation...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Emergence of antimicrobial resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa has led to the search for alternative agents for infections control. Natural products have been a good alternative to present antibiotics. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of cranberry in attenuation of virulence of P. aeruginosa in experimental urinary tract infection (UTI) in ...

The use of dietary supplements has increased dramatically, making drug interactions with those supplements a major concern. Because dietary supplements are not subject to the same regulations as prescription drugs, we hypothesize that the content of their active ingredients may vary among manufacturers, potentially causing a large variation in therapeutic outcome. The current study aimed to tes...

BACKGROUND Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major aetiological agent of periodontitis, a destructive disease affecting the tooth-supporting tissues. Recent reports have indicated that high-molecular-weight molecules from cranberry juice concentrate can prevent the attachment of human pathogens to host tissues. OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of non-dialysabl...

Summary of the in vitro data support a beneficial effect of cranberry or its proanthocyanin constituents by blocking adhesion to and biofilm formation on target tissues of pathogens. In vivo data partially support these beneficial effects. Consumption of various cranberry products benefited young and elderly females in preventing urinary tract infections, and in conjunction with antibiotic trea...

Emerging epidemiological evidence is increasingly pointing to the beneficial effects of fruits and vegetables in managing chronic and infectious diseases. These beneficial effects are now suggested to be due to the constituent phenolic phytochemicals having antioxidant activity. Cranberry like other fruits is also rich in phenolic phytochemicals such as phenolic acids, flavonoids and ellagic ac...

AIM To review the scientific publications concerning the clinical use and mechanism of action of the North American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) for women with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) and other health conditions. METHODS This is a retrospective study of published information concerning Vaccinium macrocarpon retrieved from a PubMed and individual searches. RESULTS Urina...

We explore the anti-microbial activity of urine specimens after the ingestion of a commercial cranberry preparation. Twenty subjects without urinary infection, off antibiotics and all supplements or vitamins were recruited. The study was conducted in two phases: in phase 1, subjects collected the first morning urine prior to ingesting 900 mg of cranberry and then at 2, 4 and 6 h. In phase 2, su...

There has long been an interest in the use of cranberry, usually as a juice, to prevent and treat urinary tract infections (UTI). This mini-review examined the evidence available using a simple search on an internet-based resource designed to make evidence readily available to practitioners in the South Eastern NHS regions of the UK. The resource, known as KA24, provides access to a range of da...

BACKGROUND cranberry juice is often given to older people in hospital to prevent urinary tract infection (UTI), although there is little evidence to support its use. OBJECTIVE to assess whether cranberry juice ingestion is effective in reducing UTIs in older people in hospital. DESIGN randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. SETTING Medicine for the Elderly assessment and rehab...