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The cranberry and the urinary tract

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Abstract

Cranberry products have been heralded as natural treatments for urinary tract infections (UTIs) and have been widely used for this purpose. Current evidence favours an antibacterial role for the cranberry’s natural polyphenols or tannins. Although limited species- and strain-specific direct inhibition has been determined in vitro, it has been suggested that a key mechanism of inhibition, especially for the abundant uropathogenic E. coli, relies on anti-adhesion properties. Many studies of prevention have been complicated due to the enrollment of patients who have had complicated urinary tracts, and outcomes have not been consistently favourable. In contrast, significant prevention has been shown for acute cystitis among high-risk young females. While reasonably well tolerated and deplete from side effects, further scientific work is required to better place the role of cranberry products in the management of UTIs. Progress in this area has set the stage for further hypothesis testing studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    N. Cimolai

  2. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s and Women’s Health Centre of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3V4, Canada

    N. Cimolai

  3. Faculty of Science, The University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    T. Cimolai

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Cimolai, N., Cimolai, T. The cranberry and the urinary tract. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 26, 767–776 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-007-0379-0

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