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Cardiovascular Health and Anti-inflammatory Benefits

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Effect of cranberry juice deacidification on its antibacterial activity against periodontal pathogens and its anti-inflammatory properties in an oral epithelial cell model.

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Authors
Pellerin, G., Bazinet, L., Grenier, D.
Journal
Food and Function 2021. 12(21):10470-10483.
Abstract

Cranberries are widely recognized as a functional food that can promote oral health. However, the high concentration of organic acids in cranberry juice can cause tooth enamel erosion. Electrodialysis with bipolar membrane (EDBM) is a process used for the deacidification of cranberry juice. The present study investigated whether the removal of organic acids (0%, 19%, 42%, 60%, and 79%) from cranberry juice by EDBM affects its antibacterial activity against major periodontopathogens as well as its anti-inflammatory properties in an oral epithelial cell model. A deacidification rate 60% attenuated the bactericidal effect against planktonic and biofilm-embedded Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans but had no impact on Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Cranberry juice increased the adherence of A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis to oral epithelial cells, but reduced the adherence of F. nucleatum by half regardless of the deacidification rate. F. nucleatum produced more hydrogen sulfide when it was exposed to deacidified cranberry juice with a deacidification rate 42% compared to the raw beverage. Interestingly, the removal of organic acids from cranberry juice lowered the cytotoxicity of the beverage for oral epithelial cells. Deacidification attenuated the anti-inflammatory effect of cranberry juice in an in vitro oral epithelial cell model. The secretion of IL-6 by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated oral epithelial cells exposed to cranberry juice increased proportionally with the deacidification rate. No such effect was observed with respect to the production of IL-8. This study provided evidence that organic acids, just like phenolic compounds, might contribute to the health benefits of cranberry juice against periodontitis.

 

Effect of cranberry supplementation on liver enzymes and cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with nafld: a randomized clinical trial.

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Authors
Shirazi, K. M., Shirinpour, E., Shirazi, A. M., Nikniaz, Z.
Journal
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2021. 21(283).
Abstract

Background We aimed to evaluate the effect of cranberry supplementation on serum liver enzymes, hepatic steatosis, and cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD). Methods In the present parallel-designed randomized controlled clinical trial, 110 patients with NAFLD were enrolled. The patients were randomized to receive 144 mg cranberry capsule or placebo for 6 months. The primary efficacy of the treatment was lipid profile, glycemic measurements, and liver enzyme levels. Results The data were reported for 46 in the supplementation group and 48 in the placebo group. The patient's mean (SD) age was 43.16 (11.08) years. No significant differences between groups were observed regarding the post-intervention level of liver enzyme. The mean after-intervention levels of total cholesterol (p < 0.001) and triglyceride (p = 0.01) were significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the placebo group. At the end of the study, the mean insulin and HOMA-IR levels were significantly lower in the cranberry group compared with the placebo group. Significantly more patients in the cranberry group experienced a decrease in steatosis level compared with the control group. Conclusion The results of the present study showed that cranberry supplementation had a positive effect on some lipid profiles, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis in patients with NAFLD.

Effects of chronic consumption of specific fruit (berries, citrus and cherries) on CVD risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

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Authors
Wang YueYue, Gallegos, J. L., Haskell-Ramsay, C., Lodge, J. K.
Journal
European Journal of Nutrition 2021. 60(2):615-639
Abstract

Purpose: This review aims to compare the magnitude of the effects of chronic consumption of fruits; specifically berries, citrus and cherries on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and psycARTICLES were searched from inception until January 2020. Forty-five chronic ( 1 week) randomised controlled trials assessing CVD risk factors including endothelial (dys)function, blood pressure (BP), blood lipids and inflammatory biomarkers were included. Results: Investigated interventions reported improvements in endothelial function (n = 8), inflammatory biomarkers and lipid status (n = 14), and BP (n = 10). Berries including juice of barberry, cranberry, grape, pomegranate, powder of blueberry, grape, raspberry and freeze-dried strawberry significantly reduced SBP by 3.68 mmHg (95% CI - 6.79 to - 0.58; P= 0.02) and DBP by 1.52 mmHg (95% CI - 2.87 to - 0.18, P = 0.04). In subgroup analysis, these associations were limited to cranberry juice (SBP by 1.52 mmHg [95% CI - 2.97 to - 0.07); P = 0.05], DBP by 1.78 mmHg [95% CI - 3.43 to - 0.12, P = 0.04] and cherry juice (SBP by 3.11 mmHg [95% CI - 4.06 to - 2.15; P = 0.02]). Berries also significantly elevated sVCAM-1 levels by 14.57 ng/mL (85% CI 4.22 to 24.93; P = 0.02). Conclusion: These findings suggest that supplementing cranberry or cherry juice might contribute to an improvement in blood pressure. No other significant improvements were observed for other specified fruits. More research is warranted comparing different classes of fruit and exploring the importance of fruit processing on their cardiovascular-protective effects.

 

Effects of cranberry consumption on features of the metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials

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Authors
Razie Hormoznejad, Anahita Mansoori, Seyed Ahmad Hosseini, Marzie Zilaee, Maryam Asadi, Mojdeh Fathi and Fateme Kiany
Journal
Nutrition and Food Science; Bradford Vol. 51, Iss. 6, (2021): 1006-1016.
Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper with meta-analysis is to clarify the effects of cranberry consumption on features of the metabolic syndrome of interest of all relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Design/methodology/approach – A systematic literature search was conducted on ISI web of science, PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane library and Google Scholar databases, to include trials published up to March 2019. Weighted mean differences (WMD) were calculated from a random or fixed-effects models. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed by Cochrane’s test and I2 index.Findings – Ten RCTs were included in this review which involving a total of 371 subjects. Our meta-analysis showed that cranberry consumption had beneficial effects on waist circumference (WMD 0.49,95% CI 0.96 to 0.036; p = 0.034). No significant effect of cranberry consumption on fasting blood glucose,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure was found in this meta-analysis.Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic review with meta-analysis of RCTs that investigate the effect of cranberry consumption on features of the metabolic syndrome.

 

Effects of cranberry consumption on features of the metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials

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Authors
Hormoznejad, R., Mansoori, A., Hosseini, S. A., Zilaee, M., Asadi, M., Fathi, M., Kiany, F.
Journal
Nutrition & Food Science 2021. 51(6):1006-1016.
Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper with meta-analysis is to clarify the effects of cranberry consumption on features of the metabolic syndrome of interest of all relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature search was conducted on ISI web of science, PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane library and Google Scholar databases, to include trials published up to March 2019. Weighted mean differences (WMD) were calculated from a random or fixed-effects models. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed by Cochrane's test and I2 index. Findings: Ten RCTs were included in this review which involving a total of 371 subjects. Our meta-analysis showed that cranberry consumption had beneficial effects on waist circumference (WMD -0.49, 95% CI -0.96 to -0.036; p = 0.034). No significant effect of cranberry consumption on fasting blood glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure was found in this meta-analysis. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first systematic review with meta-analysis of RCTs that investigate the effect of cranberry consumption on features of the metabolic syndrome.

 

Effects of cranberry juice supplementation on cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults with elevated blood pressure: a randomized controlled trial.

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Authors
Richter, C. K., Skulas-Ray, A. C., Gaugler, T. L., Meily, S., Petersen, K. S., Kris-Etherton, P. M.
Journal
Nutrients 2021. 13(8).
Abstract

Emerging cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, including central vascular function and HDL efflux, may be modifiable with food-based interventions such as cranberry juice. A randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial was conducted in middle-aged adults with overweight/obesity (n = 40; mean BMI: 28.7 +or- 0.8 kg/m2; mean age: 47 +or- 2 years) and elevated brachial blood pressure (mean systolic/diastolic BP: 124 +or- 2/81 +or- 1 mm Hg). Study participants consumed 500 mL/d of cranberry juice (~16 fl oz; 27% cranberry juice) or a matched placebo juice in a randomized order (8-week supplementation periods; 8-week compliance break), with blood samples and vascular measurements obtained at study entry and following each supplementation period. There was no significant treatment effect of cranberry juice supplementation on the primary endpoint of central systolic blood pressure or central or brachial diastolic pressure. Cranberry juice significantly reduced 24-h diastolic ambulatory BP by ~2 mm Hg compared to the placebo (p = 0.05) during daytime hours. Cranberry juice supplementation did not alter LDL-C but significantly changed the composition of the lipoprotein profile compared to the placebo, increasing the concentration of large LDL-C particles (+29.5 vs. -6.7 nmol/L; p = 0.02) and LDL size (+0.073 vs. -0.068 nm; p = 0.001). There was no effect of treatment on ex vivo HDL efflux in the total population, but exploratory subgroup analyses identified an interaction between BMI and global HDL efflux (p = 0.02), with greater effect of cranberry juice in participants who were overweight. Exploratory analyses indicate that baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) values may moderate treatment effects. In this population of adults with elevated blood pressure, cranberry juice supplementation had no significant effect on central systolic blood pressure but did have modest effects on 24-h diastolic ambulatory BP and the lipoprotein profile. Future studies are needed to verify these findings and the results of our exploratory analyses related to baseline health moderators.

In vitro (poly)phenol catabolism of unformulated- and phytosome-formulated cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) extracts.

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Authors
Bresciani, L., Pede, G. di, Favari, C., Calani, L., Francinelli, V., Riva, A., Petrangolini, G., Allegrini, P., Mena, P., Rio, D. del
Journal
Food Research International 2021. 141.
Abstract

Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) represent an important source of anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols and flavonols. This study aimed at investigating in vitro the human microbial metabolism of (poly)phenols, principally flavan-3-ols, of unformulated- and phytosome-formulated cranberry extracts. After powder characterization, a 24-h fermentation with human faecal slurries was performed, standardizing the concentration of incubated proanthocyanidins. Cranberry (poly)phenol metabolites were quantified by uHPLC-MS2 analyses. The native compounds of both unformulated- and phytosome-formulated cranberry extracts were metabolized under faecal microbiota activity, resulting in twenty-four microbial metabolites. Although some differences appeared when considering different classes of colonic metabolites, no significant differences in the total amount of metabolites were established after 24 h of incubation period. These results suggested that a different formulation had no effect on flavan-3-ol colonic metabolism of cranberry and both unformulated- and phytosome-formulated extract. Both formulations displayed the capability to be a potential source of compounds which could lead to a wide array of gut microbiota metabolites in vitro.

 

International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2021. 22(7).

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Authors
Berries and their polyphenols as a potential therapy for coronary microvascular dysfunction: a mini-review
Abstract

Ischemia with no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) is a common diagnosis with a higher prevalence in women compared to men. Despite the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease and no structural heart disease, INOCA is associated with major adverse cardiovascular outcomes as well a significant contributor to angina and related disability. A major feature of INOCA is coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), which can be detected by non-invasive imaging and invasive coronary physiology assessments in humans. CMD is associated with epicardial endothelial-dependent and -independent dysfunction, diffuse atherosclerosis, and left-ventricular hypertrophy, all of which lead to insufficient blood flow to the myocardium. Inflammatory and oxidative stress signaling, upregulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and adrenergic receptor signaling are major drivers of CMD. Treatment of CMD centers around addressing cardiovascular risk factors; however, there are limited treatment options for those who do not respond to traditional anti-anginal therapies. In this review, we highlight the ability of berry-derived polyphenols to modulate those pathways. The evidence supports the need for future clinical trials to investigate the effectiveness of berries and their polyphenols in the treatment of CMD in INOCA patients.

 

The effect of cranberry consumption on lipid metabolism and inflammation in human apo A-I transgenic mice fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet.

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Authors
Caceres, C., Kim MiBo, Bae MinKyung, Pham, T. X., Lee YooJin, Hu SiQi, O'Neill, E. N., Kim BohKyung, Park YoungKi, Lee JiYoung
Journal
British Journal of Nutrition 2021. 126(2):183-190
Abstract

Lipid metabolism and inflammation contribute to CVD development. This study investigated whether the consumption of cranberries (CR; Vaccinium macrocarpon) can alter HDL metabolism and prevent inflammation in mice expressing human apo A-I transgene (hApoAITg), which have similar HDL profiles to those of humans. Male hApoAITg mice were fed a modified American Institute of Nutrition-93M high-fat/high-cholesterol diet (16% fat, 0.25% cholesterol, w/w; n 15) or the high-fat/high-cholesterol diet containing CR (5% dried CR powder, w/w, n 16) for 8 weeks. There were no significant differences in body weight between the groups. Serum total cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol and TAG concentrations were significantly lower in the control than CR group with no significant differences in serum HDL-cholesterol and apoA-I. Mice fed CR showed significantly lower serum lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activity than the control. Liver weight and steatosis were not significantly different between the groups, but hepatic expression of genes involved in cholesterol metabolism was significantly lower in the CR group. In the epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), the CR group showed higher weights with decreased expression of genes for lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation. The mRNA abundance of F4/80, a macrophage marker and the numbers of crown-like structures were less in the CR group. In the soleus muscle, the CR group also demonstrated higher expression of genes for fatty acid beta-oxidation and mitochondrial biogenesis than those of the control. In conclusion, although CR consumption elicited minor effects on HDL metabolism, it prevented obesity-induced inflammation in eWAT with concomitant alterations in soleus muscle energy metabolism.

The effect of cranberry juice and a cranberry functional beverage on the growth and metabolic activity of selected oral bacteria.

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Authors
Nowaczyk PM, Bajerska J, Lasik-Kurdys M, Radziejewska-Kubzdela E, Szwengiel A, Wozniewicz M
Journal
BMC Oral Health. 21(1):660, 2021 12 20.
Abstract

BACKGROUND: The oral microbiota is a significant risk indicator for oral diseases, such as dental caries and periodontal inflammation. Much attention is presently paid to the development of functional foods (e.g. beverages containing cranberry constituents, or foods containing probiotics) that may serve as adjuncts for oral disease treatments (e.g. periodontitis and caries). Cranberry fruit, due to its unique chemical composition and antimicrobial potential, is a possible ingredient of such foods. The study aimed to investigate the effects of cranberry juice (CJ) and a cranberry functional beverage (mixture of 80% v/v apple juice, 20% v/v cranberry juice, and 0.25 g/100 mL ground cinnamon; CFB) on the growth and metabolic activity of selected oral bacteria.METHODS: Serial dilution pour plate method (SDPP) was used to examine the effect of CJ and CFB on the growth of Actinomyces naeslundii, Streptococcus mutans, and Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei. 48-h electrical impedance measurements (EIM) during the cultivation of A. naeslundii were applied to evaluate the utility of the method as a rapid alternative for the assessment of the antimicrobial potential of cranberry beverages.RESULTS: The tested bacteria differed in their susceptibility to the antimicrobial action of CJ and CFB, with L. paracasei subsp. paracasei being least vulnerable to CFB (according to SDPP). Although CJ at a concentration of 0.5 mL/mL, showed a bactericidal effect on the growth of S. mutans, A. naeslundii was more sensitive to CJ (SDPP). Its inhibitory effect on A. naeslundii was seen even at concentrations as small as 0.03125-0.125 mL/mL (SDPP and EIM). On the other hand, S. mutans seemed to be more vulnerable to CFB than A. naeslundii (SDPP).CONCLUSIONS: CFB may be considered an adjunct in the treatment of oral diseases due to its action against selected oral pathogens, and not against the presumably beneficial L. paracasei subsp. paracasei. Bioelectrical impedance measurements appear to be a quick alternative to evaluating the antimicrobial activity of fruit beverages, but their utility should be confirmed with tests on other bacteria.