The immunomodulatory potential of probiotics and (poly)phenols (PP) is recognized; however, studies regarding microorganisms-PP synergisms are yet to be explored. Here, we investigated the cooperation between probiotics and berry-derived PP extracts in modulating the cytokine responses in dendritic cells. Bacteria elicited immune responses in a strain-dependent manner. PP extracts showed different modulation of cytokine triggered by bacteria. Also with LPS, used as pro-inflammatory stimulus, PP from blueberry (BB) and cranberry (CB) most efficiently reduced IL12 production. L. paracasei LPC-S01 and B. bifidum MIMBb23sg resulted the best bacterial association in abrogating IL12 and increasing IL10. The use of PP fraction from BB50f and CB1 with the LPC-S01 + MIMBb23sg association resulted the most efficient combinations in terms of anti-inflammatory activity. These results provide bases for further investigation in vivo, in the perspective to develop food supplements that might conceivably deliver the single and combined benefits of probiotics and berry (poly)phenols.

Collagens in the human skin are susceptible to glycation due to their long half-life of about 15 years, accumulating advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The formation of AGEs and the subsequent AGE-induced collagen crosslinking are major factors for skin aging. The objective of this study was to determine the capacity of cranberry juice polyphenols (CJPs) and their fractions to inhibit collagen glycation and to break AGE-induced crosslinks in collagens. Concentrated cranberry juice was extracted to obtain the CJP, which was further fractionated into an ethyl acetate fraction, water fraction, 30% methanol (MeOH) fraction, 60% MeOH fraction, MeOH fraction, and acetone fraction. CJPs and their fractions contained different ratios of anthocyanins, procyanidins, and flavonols. All the fractions significantly inhibited collagen glycation assessed with the collagen-methylglyoxal (MGO) or collagen-dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) assays. The ethyl acetate fraction and 60% MeOH had the lowest IC50 values in the collagen-MGO and collagen-DHAA assays. The methanol fraction (IC50 = 0.52 g/mL) and acetone fraction (IC50 = 0.019 mg/mL) had the lowest IC50 values in the inhibition and breakage of AGE-induced collagen crosslinking, respectively. The ethyl acetate fraction significantly scavenged the highest amount of MGO and DHAA after incubation compared to the other fractions. Results suggested that procyanidins were the most effective antiglycation agent in both collagen glycation assays, followed by flavonols and anthocyanins. High-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry showed that the reactions of DHAA with quercetin or epicatechin formed several adducts with unreported proposed structures. This study suggested that CJPs may be used as active ingredients in cosmetics to prevent skin collagen glycation and crosslinking and to break the formed crosslinks.

In this study, different amounts (from 2% to 4.5%) of dietary fiber-rich cranberry pomace (CP) were added to yogurt before or after fermentation to increase dietary fiber content without changing the textural properties of the product. The addition of CP reduced whey loss, improved the firmness and viscosity, increased the total phenol compound content and the antioxidant capacity values (DPPH center dot, ABTS, and ORAC) of the yogurt in a dose-dependent manner, and had no significant effect on the viability of the yogurt culture bacteria. For all CP-supplemented yogurt samples, the bioaccessibility index of the polyphenols after in vitro intestinal phase digestion was approximately 90%. However, yogurt with CP added before fermentation exhibited a significantly (p < 0.05) lower degree of protein hydrolysis post-gastric and post-intestinal than the yogurt with CP added after fermentation. Yogurt supplemented with 4.5% CP could be considered a good antioxidant dairy product and a good source of dietary fiber.

Chronic diseases are responsible for approximately 71% global deaths. These are characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation and metabolic alterations. "Functional foods" have been attributed with anti-inflammatory properties, demonstrated in cell lines and murine models; however, studies in humans are inconclusive. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify clinical trials that analyzed changes in inflammatory and metabolic mediators, in response to consumption of specific functional foods. A total of 3581 trials were screened and 88 were included for this review. Foods identified to regulate inflammation included cranberries, grapes, pomegranate, strawberries, wheat, whole grain products, low fat dairy products, yogurt, green tea, cardamom, turmeric, soy foods, almonds, chia seeds, flaxseed, pistachios, algae oil, flaxseed oil and grape seed oil. Clinical trials that focus on a dietary pattern rich in functional foods are necessary to explore if the additive effect of these foods lead to more clinically relevant outcomes.

Rich in polyphenols, cranberry juice (CJ) with high antioxidant activity is believed to contribute to various health benefits. However, our knowledge of the neuroprotective potential of cranberries is limited. Previously, we have demonstrated that CJ treatment controls oxidative stress in several organs, with the most evident effect in the brain. In this study, we examined the capability of CJ for protection against Parkinson's disease (PD) in a rotenone (ROT) rat model. Wistar rats were administered with CJ in a dose of 500 mg/kg b.w./day (i.g.) and subcutaneously injected with ROT (1.3 mg/kg b.w./day). The experiment lasted 45 days, including 10 days pretreatment with CJ and 35 days combined treatment with CJ and ROT. We quantified the expression of alpha-synuclein and apoptosis markers in the midbrain, performed microscopic examination, and assessed postural instability to evaluate the CJ neuroprotective effect. Our results indicate that the juice treatment provided neuroprotection, as evidenced by declined alpha-synuclein accumulation, Bax and cleaved/active caspase-9 expression, and normalized cytochrome c level that was accompanied by the enhancement of neuronal activity survival and improved postural instability. Importantly, we also found that long-term administration of CJ alone in a relatively high dose may exert a deleterious effect on cell survival in the midbrain.

Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common chronic bacterial infections. Cranberry has been suggested for H. pylori eradication. We aimed to conduct the first meta-analysis to summarise current evidence on effects of cranberry supplementation on H. pylori eradication in H. pylori positive subjects. We searched the online databases up to December 2020. Four randomised clinical trials (RCT) were included with human subjects, investigating the effect of cranberry on H. pylori eradication. The pooled results were expressed as the OR with 95% CI. Based on five effect sizes with a total sample size of 1935 individuals, we found that according to the OR, there was a positive effect of cranberry supplementation on H. pylori eradication, increasing the chance of H. pylori eradication by 1.27 times, but this relationship was not statistically significant (overall OR: 1.27; 95% CI 0.63, 2.58). The results also indicated the moderate between-study heterogeneity (I2 = 63.40%; P = 0.03) of the studies. However, there were no significant differences in some subgroup analyses in the duration of treatment, the duration of follow-up and the Jadad score. Our findings revealed that although cranberry had a positive effect on H. pylori eradication in adults, this effect was not statistically significant. Due to the small number of included studies and moderate heterogeneities, the potential of cranberry supplementation on H. pylori eradication should be validated in large, multicentre and well-designed RCT in the future.

Oxidative stress is a key underlying factor in cognitive decline and atherosclerosis. Oxidative stress occurs at the cellular level with an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species and a deficiency in antioxidants. Mounting evidence suggests that berry flavonoids may promote cellular health by exerting antioxidant properties. Black currant and various berry extracts were tested in microglia (BV-2) and cardiomyocyte (HL-1) cell lines to study their biological effects. The principal ingredients in black currant and cranberry extract-delphinidin 3-rutinoside (D3R) and cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G), were also assessed. A menadione-induced oxidative stressor was used, and its output was quantified to detect oxidative stress (CellROX (TM)). Black currant extract had similar antioxidant effects as N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in HL-1 cells with regard to cellular protection, whereas cranberry extract was ineffective. In contrast, cranberry extract was comparable in effectiveness to black currant extract in BV-2 cells. D3R and C3G also reduced oxidative stress similarly to whole berry extracts, which indicates that these ingredients may confer the antioxidant effects of berries. Black currant and cranberry extracts inhibit oxidative stress in microglial and cardiomyocyte cell lines. Black currant extract was more effective in reducing oxidative stress in the HL-1 cells, whereas cranberry extract was comparable in reducing oxidative stress in the BV-2 cells. The results suggest that berry flavonoids exert neuro- and cardioprotective effects.

A higher risk of cardiovascular mortality in persons with chronic renal failure(CRF) is linked to inflammation, oxidative stress, cellular aging, and gutdysbiosis, to name a few contributing factors. According to a growing body ofevidence, some dietary choices may reduce the severity of certain adverseeffects. Specialized databases such as PubMed/Medline, Embase, Google Scholar,and UpToDate were searched tofind published studies that focus on thepharmacological effects and mechanisms of cranberries’bioactive compounds onCRF and human health. Cranberry supplementation has been demonstrated inclinical research to offer health advantages for humans, such as reducing urinarytract infections. Recently, it has been reported that cranberry polyphenols possessanti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects and are also known to have thecapacity to affect gutflora. Scientific studies on the beneficial pharmacologicaleffects of cranberries on human health may provide an understanding oftraditional cranberry therapy in chronic kidney disease and other chronicconditions. However, translational studies are needed to determine the exact dosethat can be administered to humans as well as the validation of nutritionalsupplements that contain cranberry extract.

The dramatic rise in the global occurrence of obesity and associated diseases calls for new strategies to promote weight loss. However, while the beneficial effects of weight loss are well known, rapid loss of fat mass can also lead to the endogenous release of liposoluble molecules with potential harmful effects, such as persistent organic pollutants (POP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a polyphenol-rich cranberry extract (CE) on POP release and their potential deleterious effects during weight loss of obese mice. C57BL/6 J mice were fed an obesogenic diet with or without a mixture of POP for 12 weeks and then changed to a low-fat diet to induce weight loss and endogenous POP release. The POP-exposed mice were then separated in two groups during weight loss, receiving either CE or the vehicle. Unexpectedly, despite the higher fat loss in the CE-treated group, the circulating levels of POP were not enhanced in these mice. Moreover, glucose homeostasis was further improved during CE-induced weight loss, as revealed by lower fasting glycemia and improved glucose tolerance as compared to vehicle-treated mice. Interestingly, the CE extract also induced changes in the gut microbiota after weight loss in POP-exposed mice, including blooming of Parvibacter, a member of the Coriobacteriaceae family which has been predicted to play a role in xenobiotic metabolism. Our data thus suggests that the gut microbiota can be targeted by polyphenol-rich extracts to protect from increased POP exposure and their detrimental metabolic effects during rapid weight loss

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Macrophages' cytokine expression and polarization play a substantial role in the host's "destructive" inflammatory response to periodontal and peri-implant pathogens. This study aimed to evaluate cell viability, anti-inflammatory activity, and macrophage polarization properties of different cranberry concentrates. METHODS: THP-1 cells (monocytic line) were treated with phorbol myristic acid to induce macrophage differentiation. Human gingival fibroblasts (HFIB-G cell line), osteosarcoma-derived osteoblasts (SAOS-2 cell line), and induced macrophages were treated with cranberry concentrates at 25, 50, and 100 microg/mL for 120 seconds, 1 hour and 24 hours. Untreated cells at the same time points served as controls. For anti-inflammatory analysis, induced macrophages exposed to cranberry concentrates (A-type PACs) were stimulated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) derived from E coli for 24 hours. Cell viability, interleukin (IL)-8, IL-1 s, IL-6, and IL-10 expression of LPS-stimulated macrophages, and macrophage polarization markers were evaluated through determination of live-cell protease activity, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunofluorescence staining semi-quantification. RESULTS: Cranberry concentrates (A-type PACs) did not reduce HGF, SAOS-2, and macrophage viability after 24 hours of exposure. Pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (ie IL-8 and IL-6) was downregulated in LPS-stimulated macrophages by cranberry concentrates at 50 and 100 microg/mL. Anti-inflammatory IL-10 expression was significantly upregulated in LPS-stimulated macrophages by cranberry concentrates at 100 microg/mL after 24 hours of exposure. M1 polarization significantly decreased when LPS-stimulated macrophages were exposed to cranberry concentrates. High levels of positive M1 macrophages were present in all untreated control groups. M2 polarization significantly increased at all LPS-stimulated macrophages exposed to cranberry concentrates for 1 and 24 hours. CONCLUSION: Cranberry-derived proanthocyanidins may have the potential to act as an anti-inflammatory component in the therapy of periodontal and peri-implant diseases.