Cranberry juice can prevent bladder infections by inhibiting the communication and attachment of E. Coli bacteria to uroepithelial cells. It also increases the acidity of urine, making it difficult for the bacteria to grow. However, antibiotics are still needed for treatment of existing infections.
The connection between cranberry juice and bladder infection, or cystitis, lies in the evidence supporting the antipathogenic mechanism of the berries of the cranberry shrub, a creeping evergreen, on the bacterial populations causing the condition. The bacteria most commonly associated with bladder infection are Escherichia Coli, or E. Coli, which commonly infect various parts of the urinary tract, including the bladder. Before the bladder becomes infected, however, other parts of the tract often become infected first. Studies show that the connection between cranberry juice and bladder infection is more prophylactic than curative because it works primarily on populations of E. Coli that have already been established in the urinary tract. In most cases, when a patient has symptoms of a bladder infection, more aggressive treatment with antibiotic medications is required.
Numerous studies have been conducted on the subject of cranberry juice and bladder infection, both as a prophylactic and as a cure. One mechanism by which cranberry has been shown to fight against an E. Coli infection is by causing a breakdown in communication between bacterial populations. Bacteria communicate by a process called quorum sensing. Quorum sensing works by a bacterium that secretes a substance called indole, which makes it easier for cells to receive chemical signals. A chemical constituent of cranberry, proanthoyanidin, inhibits the secretion of indole and thus inhibits effective communication.
E. Coli bacteria attach themselves to uroepithelial cells by growing fimbres, which are protein-based projections that attach to certain sugar-based receptors on the cell. Proanthoyanidine also blocks this process and, in effect, derails the mechanism, leaving the bacteria unable to attach to the host’s uroepithelial cell wall. To cause widespread infection, bacteria must first adhere to a host and gather enough peers by quorum sensing to form a biofilm, which can then cause a pathogenic reaction. This process is disrupted by cranberry juice, which can often negate an infection.
Other studies on cranberry juice and bladder infection suggest that there are more anti-pathogenic properties at work. Cranberry juice contains citric acid, which causes an increase in the acidity of the urine. Elevating hippuric acid can eliminate a urinary tract infection because E. Coli needs an alkaline environment to grow. Drinking water is recommended by doctors in most types of infections, and this is especially true when it comes to urinary tract infections. Fruit juice is high in water and this could be another reason why cranberry juice has been shown to be effective against urinary disorders.
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