Complementary, Holistic, and Integrative Medicine: Cranberry

Abstract

1. Larissa Shamseer, BSc* 2. Sunita Vohra, MD, MSc* 1. *Complementary and Alternative Research and Education (CARE) Program, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Canada, on behalf of the American Academy of Pediatrics Provisional Section on Complementary, Holistic, and Integrative Medicine Cranberry is among the most commonly used natural health products in North America. (1) Commercial cranberry products commonly are derived from the Vaccinium oxycoccos and V macrocarpon species, which are cultivated widely across the Northern hemisphere. Seventy percent of the cranberry crop in North America is controlled by a single manufacturer. (2) Historically, cranberry fruits and leaves have been used for wound dressings, urinary disorders, diabetes, blood poisoning, diarrhea, and liver problems. (3)(4)(5) More recently, cranberry has been used to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and dental plaque. (6) The scientific evidence regarding medicinal uses of cranberry in pediatric populations is presented in this article. ### Urinary Tract Infections A systematic review involving seven studies investigated the prophylactic use of cranberry for UTIs in individuals who had recurrent UTIs (rUTIs). (7) Overall, the review concluded that cranberry was an effective preventive measure in women who have rUTIs. Limitations due to heterogeneous study designs only allowed for the meta-analysis of two good-quality randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) on which this conclusion is based. (8)(9) Meta-analysis found that cranberry products significantly reduced the incidence of rUTIs at 12 months (relative risk, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.40 to 0.91). Two of the included studies were conducted in pediatric populations (10)(11) and are discussed separately here. The first pediatric study was a crossover RCT (11) in which 40 children ages 1 to 18 years who had neurogenic bladder managed by intermittent catheterization were randomized to receive either the intervention followed by the control or vice versa, each for 6 months. The intervention involved drinking 15 mL/kg per day of cranberry cocktail (30% cranberry concentrate), which they had to purchase; the …