Basic studies have proven that cranberries may prevent urinary tract infections through changing the adhesiveness of Escherichia coli (E. coli) to urothelial cells.
Various cranberry preparations, including extract powder, capsules, and juice, have been shown to be effective in clinical and epidemiological research. Because cranberries are most commonly consumed as juice in a diluted concentration, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the equivalent daily dose of cranberry juice is sufficient to modify host urine to change the uropathogenicity of E. coli. Urine from rats taking an equivalent daily dose of cranberry juice has been shown to decrease the capability of E. coli in hemagglutination, urothelium adhesion, nematode killing, and biofilm formation. All these changes occurred after E. coli was incubated in cranberry metabolite-containing urine, defined as urine opsonization. Urine opsonization of E. coli resulted in 40.9 % (p = 0.0038) decrease in hemagglutination ability, 66.7 % (p = 0.0181) decrease in urothelium adhesiveness, 16.7 % (p = 0.0004) increase in the 50 % lethal time in killing nematodes, and 53.9 % (p = 5.9 × 10-4) decrease in biofilm formation. Thus, an equivalent daily dose of cranberry juice should be considered sufficiently potent to demonstrate urine opsonization in E. coli.
Written by:
Chen CS, Ho DR, Chang PJ, Lin WY, Huang YC. Are you the author?
Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chia-Yi, No. 6, Chiapu West Road, Pu-Z City, Chia-Yi County, Taiwan 613, Republic of China.
Reference: J Infect Chemother. 2013 Feb 26. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1007/s10156-013-0565-1
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23440506
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