The aim of the study was to develop and evaluate a novel dietary index for gut microbiota (DI-GM) that captures dietary composition related to gut microbiota profiles. We conducted a literature review of longitudinal studies on the association of diet with gut microbiota in adult populations and extracted those dietary components with evidence of beneficial or unfavorable effects. Dietary recall data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2005-2010, n = 3812) were used to compute the DI-GM, and associations with biomarkers of gut microbiota diversity (urinary enterodiol and enterolactone) were examined using linear regression. From a review of 106 articles, 14 foods or nutrients were identified as components of the DI-GM, including fermented dairy, chickpeas, soybean, whole grains, fiber, cranberries, avocados, broccoli, coffee, and green tea as beneficial components, and red meat, processed meat, refined grains, and high-fat diet (>= 40% of energy from fat) as unfavorable components. Each component was scored 0 or 1 based on sex-specific median intakes, and scores were summed to develop the overall DI-GM score. In the NHANES, DI-GM scores ranged from 0-13 with a mean of 4.8 (SE = 0.04). Positive associations between DI-GM and urinary enterodiol and enterolactone were observed. The association of the novel DI-GM with markers of gut microbiota diversity demonstrates the potential utility of this index for gut health-related studies.

Introduction: Escherichia coli is the most common uropathogen in humans, dogs and cats. Dietary consumption of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is known to be associated with a reduction in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) adhesion to human and canine urinary epithelial cell lines, but this has not been shown in cats. 

Material and Methods: Six neutered domestic cats, one male and five females, were randomly fed three diets successively, one containing 0.1% cranberry powder, one containing 0.3% cranberry powder, and one being the control without cranberry. Naturally emitted urine was collected on the last two days of each period of two weeks and used for bacterial growth. Adherence to Crandell-Rees feline kidney (CRFK) uroepithelial cells of the feline UPEC C571 strain (positive for the papC gene marker for P-fimbriae and the fimA marker for type 1 pili and negative for the gene of the alpha haemolysin cytotoxin hlyA, and additionally non-haemolytic in vitro on blood agar) was quantified after growth in urine samples. 

Results: Significant reductions in bacterial adherence to CRFK cells were observed for 60% of cats receiving 0.1% cranberry powder supplementation and for all cats receiving 0.3% cranberry powder supplementation, compared to the same animals consuming the control diet. 

Conclusion: Dietary supplementation with cranberry may provide some degree of protection to cats against adhesion of UPEC to feline uroepithelial cells.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent chronic liver disease. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of combined weight loss diet and cranberry supplementation on anthropometric measurements, inflammation and antioxidant biomarkers in patients with NAFLD. 

Methods: In this randomized, double-blinded, and controlled clinical trial, 41 NAFLD patients were supplemented with either cranberry or placebo tablets for 12 weeks. Both groups followed a diet of 500-1000 calories less than the estimated energy requirements. Serum levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), cytokeratin 18 M30 (CK-18 M30), chemokine C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF- alpha ) were measured at both baseline and the end of the study. 

Results: Significant improvements in TAC were observed in the cranberry group and between the two groups (P=0.006 and P=0.011, respectively), but the changes in the placebo group were not significant (P=0.325). There were no statistically significant differences in the serum levels of MDA, CK-18 M30, CCL2 and TNF- alpha between the cranberry and the placebo groups (P > 0.05). 

Conclusion: It seems that daily consumption of cranberry supplement would be beneficial in increasing serum levels of TAC. Further studies are needed to investigate the effects of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of cranberry on NAFLD.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disorder marked by the buildup of triacylglycerols (TGs) in the liver. It includes a range of conditions, from simple steatosis to more severe forms like non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can advance to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD's prevalence is rising globally, estimated between 10% and 50%. The disease is linked to comorbidities such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular diseases and currently lacks effective treatment options. Therefore, researchers are focusing on evaluating the impact of adjunctive herbal therapies in individuals with NAFLD. One herbal therapy showing positive results in animal models and clinical studies is fruits from the Vaccinium spp. genus. This review presents an overview of the association between consuming fruits, juices, and extracts from Vaccinium spp. and NAFLD. The search used the following keywords: ((Vaccinium OR blueberry OR bilberry OR cranberry) AND ("non-alcoholic fatty liver disease" OR "non-alcoholic steatohepatitis")). Exclusion criteria included reviews, research notes, book chapters, case studies, and grants. The review included 20 studies: 2 clinical trials and 18 studies on animals and cell lines. The findings indicate that juices and extracts from Vaccinium fruits and leaves have significant potential in addressing NAFLD by improving lipid and glucose metabolism and boosting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses. In conclusion, blueberries appear to have the potential to alleviate NAFLD, but more clinical trials are needed to confirm these benefits.

Phenolic compounds are considered an important group of bioactive molecules that are present in abundant quantities in fruits such as berries and cherries; hence, the analysis and quantification of these compounds are of significant interest to the scientific community. The current study aimed to develop a novel analytical method using liquid chromatography and high -resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) for the rapid, comprehensive and simultaneous analysis of 66 phenolic compounds optimized for the selected five types of fruits commercially available in Canada. Bioactive compounds that could potentially be metabolite markers for each berry were identified. Various phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in all five selected fruits. Notably, blackberries were rich in anthocyanins such as cyanidin-3-glucoside (368.4 +/- 6 mu g/g), while blueberries were rich in peonidin-3-glucoside (1083 +/- 9 mu g/g). In addition, raspberries and cherries contained significant amounts of cyanidin-3-rutinoside, at 3156 +/- 36 mu g/g and 301.3 +/- 2 mu g/g, respectively, while cranberries contained the highest concentrations of petunidin at 829.7 +/- 3 mu g/g. The newly developed and validated UHPLCHRMS method proved helpful in comprehensively analyzing phenolic compounds in blueberry, raspberry, cranberry, blackberry and cherry. Identifying and quantifying bioactives can lead to applications in neutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries by using phenolic-rich berry extracts in functional foods, supplements, or pharmaceutical products.

Cranberries are rich in polyphenols, have a high antioxidant capacity, and may protect against exercise-induced free radical production. Mitochondria are known producers of free radical in skeletal muscle, and preventing overproduction of radicals may be a viable approach to improve muscle health. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a polyphenol-rich cranberry extract (CE) on muscle oxidative capacity and oxygenation metrics in healthy active adults. 17 participants (9 males and 8 females) were tested at: (i) baseline, (ii) 2 h following an acute CE dose (0.7 g/kg of body mass), and (iii) after 4 weeks of daily supplement consumption (0.3 g/kg of body mass). At each time point, muscle oxidative capacity was determined using near infrared spectroscopy to measure the recovery kinetics of muscle oxygen consumption following a 15-20 s contraction of the vastus lateralis. Cranberry supplementation over 28 days significantly improved muscle oxidative capacity (k-constant, 2.8 f 1.8 vs. 3.9 f 2.2; p = 0.02). This was supported by a greater rate of oxygen depletion during a sustained cuff occlusion (-0.04 f 0.02 vs. -0.07 f 0.03; p = 0.02). Resting muscle oxygen consumption was not affected by cranberry consumption. Our results suggest that cranberry supplementation may play a role in improving mitochondrial health, which could lead to better muscle oxidative capacity in healthy active adult populations.

Introduction: Escherichia coli is the most common pathogen isolated from the urine of dogs with urinary tract infections (UTIs). While there are many studies in humans investigating the potential for the prevention of UTIs by dietary consumption of cranberry, few analogous studies have been carried out in dogs. 

Material and Methods: Eight dogs, four male and four female, were successively fed two diets, first a control without cranberry, and then the second diet containing cranberry extracts. Naturally excreted urine was collected on the tenth day after the start of each diet for 24 h and used for bacterial growth. MadinDarby canine kidney cell adherence by the uropathogenic E. coli G1473 strain expressing type 1 pili and positive for P pili and haemolysin gene markers was quantified after growth in urine samples. 

Results: Significant reductions in bacterial adherence to MDCK cells (from -16.5 to -73.4%, P < 0.05) were observed in the four females but not in the males after consumption of the cranberry extracts compared to the same animals consuming the control diet. 

Conclusion: Dietary supplementation with cranberry may provide some degree of protection to female dogs against adhesion of uropathogenic E. coli to urinary epithelial cells.

Background and Aims: Cranberry products are beneficial in erectile dysfunction (ED). Therefore, we assessed the impact of Cranberry fruit extract (Cranberry-E) on in vivo erectile response and in vitro relaxant responses in the corpus cavernosum (CC).Methods: Rats (n=10) were divided into control and diabetic groups. In vivo erectile function was measured following intracavernosal injection of Cranberry-E. The relaxation responses to Cranberry-E were obtained after pre-contraction with phenylephrine (Phe, 10 mu M) and KCl (60 mM). Cranberry-E caused relaxant responses in the incubation with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) blocker (L-NAME, 100 mu M) and soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) blocker (ODQ, 30 mu M), and relaxation responses of cavernosal tissue were calculated before and after the incubation with Cranberry-E.

Results: Erectile responses were significantly reduced in diabetic animals as compared to controls (p<0.001), which was normalized after the intracavernous administration of Cranberry-E. There was no difference in the relaxation responses to Cranberry-E between the control and diabetic groups. Cranberry-E induced the relaxation of cavernosal tissue, which remained unaltered in the presence of L-NAME and ODQ. Relaxation responses to Cranberry decreased after KCl-induced precontraction (p<0.001). The relaxation of cavernosal tissue increased after Cranberry-E incubation.

Conclusion: Cranberry-E improved diabetes-induced ED and induced relaxation of cavernosal tissue via a nitric oxide-independent mechanism. Thus, cranberry consumption is likely to be effective as a potential strategy to prevent diabetes-induced ED.

REVIEW COMPOSITION AND HEALTH BENEFTIS Cranberries are well-known berry fruits and a member of Ericaceae family. It is a potential source of bioactive components including phenolic acids, flavonols, organic acids, pentacyclic triterpenoids, anthocyanins, etc. Until now, several scientific researches uncovered the positive role of cranberry consumption to suppress human diseases including obesity, diabetes, microbial infection, hepatotoxicity, hypertensive and cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and cancer. This review focused on the chemical components of cranberries, as well as comprehensively explored the biological capabilities of cranberries based on recent findings. Furthermore, the health benefits of cranberries were also discussed based on recent clinical studies. Our review reported that cranberries are a rich source of various minerals, vitamins, organic acids, sugars, and polyphenols. Cranberries exert potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiobesity, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and anti-cancer activity via regulating several signaling pathways such as PI3K/ Akt/Nrf2, Nrf2/ARE, PI3K/Akt/COX-2, TLR4-NF-kB-p38 MAPK, JAK-STAT, PPARs, TGF beta/Smad, ACE I, and others. Among all bioactivities, antimicrobial activity of cranberries is promising due to bactericidal, bacteriostatic, and antibiofilm properties. Recent clinical studies further confirmed the health benefits and safety, though extensive clinical research is recommended to ensure these effects at the clinical level. Apart from this, consumption of cranberries and their products is suggested because of the rich source of bioactive components to ameliorate biological disorders.