Therapeutic effect of cranberry active components on E.coli urinary tract adhesions: A review

Abstract

Cranberry (Vaccinium spp.) has been used by North American Indians to treat many medicinal properties. It is also recommended for the treatment of urinary tract infection (UTI) which is caused by adhesion of bacteria called Escherichia coli. We conducted this meta-analysis to assess the effect of cranberry in preventing the adhesion of E. coli in the urinary tract. Cranberry appears to work by inhibiting the adhesion of type I and P-fimbriated Escherichia coli to the uroepithelium, thus hinder the colonization and upcoming infections. Adhesion is prevented by 2 ingredients of cranberries: laevulose that prevents binding of type 1 fimbriae and pro-anthocyanidins, which prevents p- fimbriae binding. The anti-adherent effect began in 2 hours and remains for up to 10 hours after consumption. These results suggest that cranberry can be an effective in preventing and treating urinary tract infections; however, larger high-quality studies are needed to confirm these findings.