BACKGROUND Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most commonly acquired bacterial infections. Cranberry-containing products have long been used as a folk remedy to prevent UTIs. The aims of this study were to evaluate cranberry-containing products for the prevention of UTI and to examine the factors influencing their effectiveness. METHODS MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systemically searched from inception to November 2011 for randomized controlled trials that compared prevention of UTIs in users of cranberry-containing products vs placebo or nonplacebo controls. There were no restrictions for language, population, or publication year. RESULTS Thirteen trials, including 1616 subjects, were identified for qualitative synthesis from 414 potentially relevant references; 10 of these trials, including a total of 1494 subjects, were further analyzed in quantitative synthesis. The random-effects pooled risk ratio (RR) for cranberry users vs nonusers was 0.62 (95% CI, 0.49-0.80), with a moderate degree of heterogeneity (I2 = 43%) after the exclusion of 1 outlier study. On subgroup analysis, cranberry-containing products seemed to be more effective in several subgroups, including women with recurrent UTIs (RR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.33-0.83) (I2 = 0%), female populations (RR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.34-0.73) (I2 = 34%), children (RR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.16-0.69) (I2 = 0%), cranberry juice drinkers (RR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.30-0.72) (I2 = 2%), and subjects using cranberry-containing products more than twice daily (RR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.40-0.84) (I2 = 18%). CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that cranberry-containing products are associated with protective effect against UTIs. However, this result should be interpreted in the context of substantial heterogeneity across trials.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical cross-over study with 18 subjects of both sexes (aged 21-52 years), the effect of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and pumpkin seed extract combination (Cystorenal Cranberry plus) on the urinary tract through inhibition of Escherichia coli adherence to urothelial cells was examined. With the ingestion of Cystorenal Cranberry plus, the bacterial adherence was decreased by 33.4% compared to the placebo. The recommended amount of the preparation is sufficient to protect the healthy bladder. There was no adverse effects observed.

Biofilm producing bacteria such as Staphylococcus species and Escherichia coli are the most common cause of catheter related urinary tract infections (UTIs). The American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is utilized widely as a prophylaxis for UTIs due to its prevention of microbial adhesion. Cranberry contains proanthocyanidins (PACs), which have been implicated as active constituents responsible for its bacterial antiadhesive properties. Despite overwhelming data supporting cranberry's beneficial effects against human pathogenic bacteria, there is limited information regarding its effects on biofilm formation. This study evaluated the effects of three proprietary PAC-standardized cranberry extracts on the inhibition of bacterial growth and biofilm production against a panel of clinically relevant pathogens: Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, clinical methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Escherichia coli. The extracts inhibited the growth of the Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus spp.) but not the Gram-negative species (E. coli) with minimum inhibitory concentrations in the range 0.02–5 mg/mL. The extracts also inhibited biofilm production by the Gram-positive bacteria but did not eradicate their established biofilm. These results suggest that cranberry may have beneficial effects against the growth and biofilm producing capability of Gram-positive bacteria pathogens.

Cranberry juice contains high molecular weight non-dialyzable material (NDM) which was found to inhibit hemagglutination induced by the influenza virus (IV) as well as to neutralize the cytotoxicity of IV in cell cultures. Because influenza virus surface glycoproteins hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) are involved in viral replication and in the infectious process, we sought in the present study to examine the effect of NDM on neuraminidases which are the target of most anti-influenza drugs today. NDM inhibited the NA enzymatic activity of influenza A and B strains as well as that of Streptococcus pneumoniae. This finding is of importance considering the emergence of influenza isolates resistant to antiviral drugs, reaching 90 % in some places. The anti-NA activity of NDM, evaluated by the MUNANA method and expressed as the concentration required for 50 % inhibition (IC50), was most potent against N1 (IC50, 192 microg/mL), less active against BN and N2 (IC50, 509 microg/mL and 1128 microg/mL, respectively), and moderately active against Streptococcus pneumoniae NA (IC50, 594 microg/mL). The in vitro findings of the present study suggest that cranberry constituents may have a therapeutic potential against both A and B influenza virus infections and might also interfere with the development of secondary bacterial complications

The impact of cranberry juice was investigated with respect to the initial adhesion of three isogenic strains of the bacterium Burkholderia cepacia with different extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) producing capacities, viz. a wild-type cepacian EPS producer PC184 and its mutant strains PC184rml with reduced EPS production and PC184bceK with a deficiency in EPS production. Adhesion experiments conducted in a parallel-plate flow chamber demonstrated that, in the absence of cranberry juice, strain PC184 had a significantly higher adhesive capacity compared to the mutant strains. In the presence of cranberry juice, the adhesive capacity of the EPS-producing strain PC184 was largely reduced, while cranberry juice had little impact on the adhesion behavior of either mutant strain. Thermodynamic modeling supported the results from adhesion experiments. Surface force apparatus (SFA) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies demonstrated a strong association between cranberry juice components and bacterial EPS. It was concluded that cranberry juice components could impact bacterial initial adhesion by adhering to the EPS and impairing the adhesive capacity of the cells, which provides an insight into the development of novel treatment strategies to block the biofilm formation associated with bacterial infection.

Cranberry products are a nonantimicrobial
method for prevention of urinary tract infection
(UTI). Cranberry proanthocyanidin (PAC), a type of condensed tannin, is the active ingredient in cranberry that
inhibits adherence of P-fimbriated Escherichia coli to
uroepithelial cells. Previous cranberry studies for UTI
prevention yielded conflicting results, probably because
of variability of PAC dose and clinical populations studied. In a clinical trial of 300 mL of cranberry juice beverage daily (36 mg PAC), older women (mean age 78.5) had 58% lower odds of having bacteriuria and pyuria than controls, but nursing home residents have difficulty ingesting the volume of juice necessary to prevent bacteriuria. Cranberry capsules are feasible to administer to nursing home residents, but their efficacy has not been demonstrated. In vitro, 36–108 mg of PAC is efficacious at inhibiting bacterial adherence to uroepithelial cells, but the most efficacious dose for older nursing home residents has not been identified. The goal of this study was to identify the optimal dose of cranberry capsules that reduced the incidence of bacteriuria plus pyuria over 1 month.

Berries are often consumed with sucrose. They are also rich sources of polyphenols which may modulate glycaemia after carbohydrate ingestion. The present study investigated the postprandial glucose, insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) responses to sucrose ingested with berries, in comparison with a similar sucrose load without berries. A total of twelve healthy subjects were recruited to a randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. They participated in two meal tests on separate days. The berry meal was a puree (150 g) made of bilberries, blackcurrants, cranberries and strawberries with 35 g sucrose. The control meal included the same amount of sucrose and available carbohydrates in water. Fingertip capillary and venous blood samples were taken at baseline and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min after starting to eat the meal. Glucose, insulin and GLP-1 concentrations were determined from the venous samples, and glucose also from the capillary samples. Compared to the control meal, ingestion of the berry meal resulted in lower capillary and venous plasma glucose and serum insulin concentrations at 15 min (P = 0.021, P 0.007 and P = 0.028, respectively), in higher concentrations at 90 min (P = 0.028, P = 0.021 and P = 0.042, respectively), and in a modest effect on the GLP-1 response (P = 0.05). It also reduced the maximum increases of capillary and venous glucose and insulin concentrations (P = 0.009, P = 0.011 and P = 0.005, respectively), and improved the glycaemic profile (P 0.001 and P = 0.003 for capillary and venous samples, respectively). These results suggest that the glycaemic control after ingestion of sucrose can be improved by simultaneous consumption of berries.

Consumption of fruits and the other dietary antioxidants are considered beneficial due to the protection they afford in the pathogenesis associated with oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidative effects of selected fruit extracts (Plums, Apples, Grapes and Cranberries) on human lung fibroblasts (CCD-25LU) exposed to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) oxidative stress. Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) was used to assess cytotoxicity (cell integrity) and antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione-s-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidases (GPx) and concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH) were determined. Results showed that LDH release by cells pretreated with fruits extracts were significantly (p0.05) lower compared to cells treated with tBHP alone. Antioxidant enzymes (CAT, GST and GPx) in cells pretreated with fruit extracts were increased by 2-4 folds compared to cell exposed to tBHP alone. GSH levels which were significantly (p0.05) reduced after exposure to tBHP were restored by pretreatment with fruit extracts. Fruits extracts used in this study protected CCD-25LU against oxidative stress induced by tBHP and reduced cell damage. Consumption of fruits may therefore play a significant role in protection against oxidative induced lung diseases.

Objectives. The aim of this randomized controlled prospective study is to evaluate the efficacy of cranberry capsules for prevention of UTI in children with neurogenic bladder caused by myelomeningocele. Patients and Methods. To be eligible for this study, patients had to be diagnosed as neurogenic bladder caused by myelomeningocele, evaluated urodynamically, followed up with clean intermittent catheterization and anticholinergic drugs. Intervention. Six months of treatment with placebo; after a week of wash-out period treatment of cranberry extract tablets (1 capsule/day) for an additional 6 months. Randomization was performed sequentially. Patients and care givers were blinded to drug assignment. Main outcome measure was infection rate. Group comparisons were performed with Wilcoxon test. Results. The study population included 20 (F/M: 13/7) patients with neurogenic bladder with the mean age of 7.25 ± 3.49 (4, 18) years. The median UTI rate was 0.5/year during placebo usage whereas 0/year during cranberry capsule usage. Decrease in infection rate was significant with cranberry capsule usage (P = 0.012). Decrease in the percentage of the pyuria was also recorded as significant (P = 0.000). Any adverse events or side effects were not recorded. Conclusion. We concluded that cranberry capsules could be an encouraging option for the prevention of recurrent UTI in children with neurogenic bladder caused by myelomeningocele.

AIMS:
Radical pelvic radiotherapy is one of the main treatment modalities for cancers of the bladder and cervix. The side-effects of pelvic radiotherapy include urinary symptoms, such as urinary frequency and cystitis. The therapeutic effects of cranberry juice in the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections in general are well documented. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cranberry juice on the incidence of urinary tract infections and urinary symptoms in patients undergoing pelvic radiotherapy for cancer of the bladder or cervix.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The study was a placebo-controlled, double-blind design. Participants were randomised to receive cranberry juice, twice a day (morning and night) for the duration of their radiotherapy treatment and for 2 weeks after treatment (6 weeks in total) or a placebo beverage, for the same duration.
RESULTS:
The incidence of increased urinary symptoms or urinary tract infections was 82.5% on cranberry and 89.3% on placebo (P=0.240, adjusted odds ratio [cranberry/placebo] 0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.14-1.63).
CONCLUSIONS:
The power of the study to detect differences was limited by the below target sample size and poor compliance. Further research is recommended, taking cognisance of the factors contributing to the limitations of this study.