Prevention of nonspecific bacterial cell adhesion in immunoassays by use of cranberry juice.
Analytical Chemistry. 2006 February 1;78(3):853-7
It is generally known that cranberry helps to reduce adhesion of bacteria to membranes and that this property explains why cranberry helps to prevention of urinary tract infections, stomach ulcers and oral infections. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of cranberry to reduce the adhesion of bacteria to the borosilicate glass. The researchers found indeed that cranberry juice reduced adhesion of bacteria to the glass. This effect has not observed when with other juices such grape juice, orange juice, apple juice and white cranberry juice
Reduction of Escherichia coli adherence to uroepithelial bladder cells after consumption of cranberry juice: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled cross-over trial.
World Journal of Urology. 2006 February;24(1):21-7
The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-adherence activity of urine from women after consumption of cranberry juice. This in vivo study involved 20 women who drank different quantities of cranberry juice, up to 750 ml daily. The first urine in the morning was collected and tested for anti-adherence activity of uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains. The consumption of cranberry juice had no influence on the pH of the urine (in the past it was often wrongly hypnotized that cranberry juice acted by lowering the pH of the urine). There was a dose dependant effect of cranberry juice consumption anti-adherence activity. The researchers concluded that cranberry juice consumption provides anti-adherence activity against the tested uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains.
Role of cranberry juice on molecular-scale surface characteristics and adhesion behavior of Escherichia coli.
Biotechnology and Bioengineering. 2006 February 5;93(2):297-305
Cranberry juice is traditionally used for the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections. Bacteria use fimbriae to adhere to other cells. Escherichia coli uses the fimbriae to adhere to the epithelium of the bladder. In order to investigate the mechanism by which cranberry phytochemicals act the researchers investigated the influence of cranberry on the adhesion to a silicon nitride surface and two Escherichia coli strains: one with fimbriae (P-fimbriated) and without. With an atomic force microscopy, the researchers were able to observe the bacterial surface polymer and adhesion behavior, after exposure to cranberry juice. The adhesion forces decreased and the structure of surface macromolecules were changed on Escherichia coli strain with fimbriae. The change in adhesion was also observed when the highly acidic cranberry juice was neutralized. The study concluded that to neutralized cranberry juice changed the surface of P-fimbriated Escherichia coli.
A-type cranberry proanthocyanidins and uropathogenic bacterial anti-adhesion activity.
Phytochemistry. 2005 September;66(18):2281-91
Several clinical and epidemiological and physical studies have confirmed that cranberry helps to maintain urinary tract health. Previous studies have shown that proanthocyanidins with alpha-type linkages are responsible for the anti-adhesion properties of cranberry. The purpose of this study was to investigate if beta-linked proanthocyanidins also have this property. The researchers compared the anti-adhesion activity of alpha-linked proanthocyanidins from cranberry juice with those of beat-linked proanthocyanidins from grape and apple juices, green tea and dark chocolate. The anti-adhesion property of the urine was determined after subjects consumed one of these products. The researchers found that the alpha-type proanthocyanidins from cranberry juice were 20 times more effective than the beta-type proanthocyanidins from grape juice, whereas the beta-type proanthocyanidins from apple juice, green tea and dark chocolate were not active. The study concluded that alpha-type linked cranberry proanthocyanidins may enhance bacterial anti-adhesion activities and help to maintain urinary tract health.
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