14 DAY TRIAL // Cranberries could be seen as an alternative to antibiotics, especially when it comes to antibiotics which can change the Escherichia coli bacteria, informs emaxhealth.com. The active compounds in cranberries called tannins are very potent in annihilating E. coli bacteria and this is an extremely useful information for medical experts and doctors, mainly because more and more bacteria become antibiotic-resistant lately and new strategies of eradicating the infectious microorganisms are needed. The findings of the study were presented on Sunday, 10th of September at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco.
The new research was conducted by scientists at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) who found that cranberries compounds are very efficient in changing the E. coli bacteria which can cause a wide range of infections and health disorders, from tooth decays to gastroenteritis or kidney infections.
Previous studies also showed that active ingredients in berries have anti-infective and anti-inflammatory actions, fighting successfully against urinary tract infections (UTIs)- like cystitis. Berry juice contains "antibiotic" substances called proanthocyanidins that annihilate the Escherichia coli bacteria which cause urinary tract infections and prevent these bacteria from adhering to the mucosal cells lining the urinary tract.
It has been scientifically proven that if poured in a test tube containing Escherichia coli, the bilberry juice can neutralize these bacteria within a 24 hours period. This is why drinking bilberry juice regularly - at least a glass per day - makes urinary infection risks less likely to occur.
The team involved in the current study found that, when exposed to large amounts of cranberries or tannins, E. coli bacteria lose their ability to produce a certain molecule involved in the bacterial chemical signaling or communication. The molecule is called indole and the E. coli bacterial communication is medically known as quorum sensing. By blocking the chemical signaling among bacteria their communication is "over" and they cannot further cause infections into our bodies.
"We are beginning to get a picture of cranberry juice and, in particular, the tannins found in cranberries as, potentially potent antibacterial agents. These results are surprising and intriguing, particularly given the increasing concern about the growing resistance of certain disease-causing bacteria to antibiotics," concluded Terri Camesano, co-author of the study and Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute.