Friday, March 7, 2008

Cranberry Potential health benefits

Cranberries are a cause of polyphenol antioxidants, phytochemicals under active research for possible profit to the cardiovascular system, immune system and as anti-cancer agents. Cranberry juice contains a chemical component, a high molecular weight non-dialyzable material (NDM), as noted above, that is able to inhibit and even reverse the formation of plaque by Streptococcus mutan pathogens that cause tooth decay. Cranberry juice components also show efficacy against formation of kidney stones. Raw cranberries and cranberry juice are abundant food sources of the anthocyanidin flavonoids, cyanidin and peonidin, and are also rich in petunidin. These compounds have an unknown effect on human health (see anthocyanidin and peonidin). Although they are powerful against human cancer cells in vitro, their effect when ingested by humans is unproven, showing poor absorption into human cells and rapid elimination from blood. Nonetheless, since 2002, there has been an increasing focus on the potential role of cranberry polyphenolic constituents in preventing several types of cancer. Cranberry tannins have anti-clotting properties and may reduce urinary tract infections and the amount of dental plaque-causing oral bacteria, thus being a prophylaxis for gingivitis.

Anti-adhesion properties: There is probable benefit of cranberry juice consumption against bacterial infections in the urinary system. While much of the proof is equivocal, hypotheses state that an effect occurs from a component of the juice competitively inhibiting bacterial attachment to the bladder and urethra, allowing the bacteria to be flushed out more effortlessly. Although promising for anti-bacterial activity, long-term consumption of cranberry juice has only limited evidence for beneficial effects against urinary tract infections in women. Similar applications have not been successfully proved in other clinical trials of consuming cranberry juice or tablets by people with spinal cord injury associated with bladder catheterization, neurogenic bladder or uncommon urination, any of which may be associated with increased susceptibility to bacterial infections.

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