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Cranberry juice helps prevent bacterial infections, says study
Posted on: 22/Jul/2016 11:19:07 AM
A new study has found that cranberry juice is effective at preventing bacterial infections. The study was conducted by researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, or WPI, and the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. The study has characterised the role of compounds in cranberry juice that block the critical first step in bacterial infections. The results open a potential new area of focus for antibiotic drug development. The study appeared in the journal, Food and Function.
Say the researchers, With the emergence of new super bugs that are resistant to current antibiotics, our hope is to better understand the mechanisms of bacterial infection so we can identify potential new antibiotic drug targets.
The paper says that compounds in cranberry juice called flavonols, greatly reduced the ability of the bacteria E.coli to stick to a surface. Various strains of E. coli are responsible for many types of infections, including those of the urinary tract. In previous studies, a group of compounds called proanthocyanidins, or PACs, were found likely to play a role in cranberry juice`s ability to block bacterial adhesion.
Speaking about the current study, the researchers said, This study is the first to combine an assay guided fractionation approach with atomic force microscopy to identify cranberry juice constituents that most strongly influence E.coli adhesion forces. These compounds should be further explored, both individually and in combination for their anti-microbial properties against various bacterial diseases to give us a therapeutic edge against these superbugs.
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