This study aimed to investigate the effect of cranberry extract on Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) levels and renal histopathological improvement in a rat model of pyelonephritis. Seven treatment groups were used, including a sham group, a negative control, a positive control (ciprofloxacin), and cranberry extract groups at doses of 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg/kgBW. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test followed by an all-pairwise comparison. The results showed a significant difference inVEGF levels among the groups (p = 0.046), with notably higher VEGF expression in the 300 mg/kgBW and 400 mg/kgBW cranberry groups compared to the negative control. Histopathological analysis revealed reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and improved tubular structure in the high-dose cranberry groups. These effects are associated with the bioactive compounds of cranberry, particularly proanthocyanidins and flavonoids, which exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and angiogenic activities by enhancing VEGF expression. In conclusion, cranberry extract at doses of 300 mg/kgBW and 400 mg/kgBW demonstrates strong potential as a natural nephroprotective agent that accelerates renal tissue healing in pyelonephritis. These findings support the use of cranberry extract as an adjuvant therapy to complement conventional treatment for urinary tract infections.

Purpose: Cranberry juice is widely consumed to improve urinary health; however, its effects on the urinary microbiome (urobiome) of healthy individuals are unclear. We aimed to investigate the effect of continuous consumption of cranberry juice on the urobiome of healthy adults. 

Methods: this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial included 40 healthy adults (21 women and 19 men) who completed the study. Participants consumed 80 mL of either cranberry juice or a placebo daily for 4 weeks, followed by a 4-week washout period and crossover to the alternate intervention. The urobiome was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. 

Results: At baseline, the urobiome composition differed significantly between men and women (PERMANOVA, P [ .015). Overall, alpha and beta diversities did not change significantly after either intervention. In women, cranberry juice consumption was associated with decreased relative abundance of the genus Lactobacillus (median: 28.4%-18.4%; P [ .025); however, this change was not significant following correction for multiple comparisons (q [ 0.25). No significant compositional changes were observed in men after the intervention. 

Conclusion: In this exploratory study, continuous cranberry juice consumption showed a potential to modulate the urobiome in a sex-specific manner. The observed trend toward decreased Lactobacillus abundance in women provides a basis for future, larger studies for validation and assessment of its clinical relevance for female urinary health.

PURPOSE: Recurrent cystitis, particularly common in women, substantially diminishes patient quality of life and represents a major clinical practice and public health burden. Increasing development of resistance to antibiotics has encouraged the search for alternative treatments. The benefits of a food supplement associating two Lactobacillus strains with proanthocyanidin A-rich cranberry and cinnamon extracts were evaluated in 80 women with a history of cystitis recurrence. 

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Post-inclusion recurrence frequency was compared between women taking the investigated supplement daily for 6 months and non-supplemented women, based on patient-completed Acute Cystitis Symptom Score (ACSS) questionnaires. 

RESULTS: Two-thirds (64.9%) of supplemented women experienced no further episodes of cystitis during the first 6 months of the study compared to only one-third (31.6%) of non-supplemented women (p=0.004), the difference between the two groups being significant from 3 months onward. ACSS scores revealed significantly fewer and less severe urinary symptoms in supplemented women, as well as a significantly reduced impact of these symptoms on quality of life (p<0.0001). 

CONCLUSIONS: The results shown by extensive data on women suffering from recurrent cystitis, collected over 8 months, indicate that taking the tested supplement daily for 6 months can provide significant benefits in terms of recurrence frequency, symptoms, and quality of life. The study is registered on the ClinicalTrials.gov site under the identifier NCT04987164.

The constant increase of bacterial resistance to antibiotics over time is an issue that requires finding therapeutic alternatives for the prevention and treatment of infections. Diabetes mellitus (DM) increases the predisposition to urinary tract infections (UTIs) through induced alterations in the urothelium secondary to high glucose concentrations and by affecting the immune response. Pharmacological formulas containing cranberry-derived compounds could represent a choice for the prophylaxis of UTIs in diabetics, but this possibility needs to be further analysed. Certain constituents of cranberry, especially polyphenols, have been shown to decrease bacterial adhesion to the urothelium, stimulate the secretion of Tamm-Horsfall protein, improve the integrity of the urothelium barrier and exert anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial actions. The aim of this work is to evaluate potential pathogenetic mechanisms that could be interfered with by cranberry-derived compounds to prevent UTIs in diabetics.

OBJECTIVE: Recent guidelines indicated that, in addition to antibiotics, nonantibiotic interventions serve as available preventive options for urinary tract infections (UTIs). This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of various nonantibiotic interventions in preventing UTIs.

METHODS: The authors systematically searched databases for eligible studies. The inclusion criteria encompassed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focusing on one or more nonantibiotic interventions for UTI prevention, with the incidence of UTIs being a key outcome measure. Subgroup analyses were performed according to age, sex, and follow-up.

RESULTS: 50 RCTs comprising 10,495 subjects and investigating 14 interventions, were included. Nearly 80% of the RCTs utilized double-blind or triple-blind designs. In the whole group, D-mannose (risk ratio [RR] 0.34, 0.21 to 0.56), vaccine (RR 0.65, 0.52 to 0.82), probiotics (RR 0.69, 0.50 to 0.94), cranberry (RR 0.72, 0.60 to 0.87), and triple therapy (cranberry plus probiotics plus vitamin A) (RR 0.27, 0.09 to 0.87), exhibited a significant reduction in UTI incidence compared to the placebo. Probiotics (RR 0.50, 0.28 to 0.89) were the most effective in the nonadult group, while vitamin D (RR 0.46, 0.27 to 0.81) showed the highest efficacy in the long follow-up group (>= 1 year). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the interventions and the placebo group.

CONCLUSIONS: D-mannose, triple therapy, vaccine, probiotics, and cranberry serve as potential nonantibiotic intervention options for clinical UTI prevention.

The diameter, length, and shape of bacteria are maintained with such high fidelity that these parameters are classically used as metrics in the distinction of bacterial species. Increasing evidence indicates that bacteria transiently shift their shapes into distinctive morphologies in response to environmental changes. Elongation of bacterial length into a filamentous shape provides unique survival advantages for many bacterial species. Analysis of 42 clinical isolates of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) revealed that filamentation to host-derived antimicrobials is a conserved phenotype. Therefore, we hypothesize that filamentation represents a conserved mechanism of pathogenic bacterial persistence that can be targeted for narrow-spectrum, anti-virulence therapies. We demonstrate that cranberries prevent SulA-mediated filamentation of UPEC. Furthermore, we identify multiple fractions of cranberries that retain anti-filamentation properties. These studies provide mechanistic insight into the clinical efficacy of cranberry for patients with recurrent urinary tract infections. Inhibition of filamentation represents a novel approach to promote bacterial pathogen susceptibility to immune and antibiotic-mediated clearance to attenuate disease.

Objective: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) rank as the second most prevalent infectious condition globally, impacting approximately 150 million individuals each year. Due to anatomical and physiological changes, UTIs are particularly common during pregnancy, presenting with symptoms such as dysuria, turbid urine, increased urinary frequency, and occasionally hematuria. Recurrent UTIs are characterized by two or more episodes within six months or three within a year. Cranberries are widely acknowledged for their role in preventing UTIs during pregnancy. Their preventive mechanism involves inhibiting uropathogenic bacterial adhesion to the urinary tract epithelium, facilitated by phenolic compounds and A-type proanthocyanidins (PACs). 

Materials and Methods: In this systematic review, the authors PubMed, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar for relevant articles published between 2013 and 2024. The search strategy utilized Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and keyword terms related to Cranberry Extract/Juice and UTI Measurement Methods in Pregnancy. Search phrases were tailored to each database to enhance retrieval accuracy. All retrieved articles were evaluated in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. 

Results: Among the 30 studies reviewed, a daily dose of 500 mg cranberry extract over six months demonstrated promising efficacy as an alternative treatment for UTIs in pregnancy. 

Conclusion: Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) extract effectively prevents UTIs by inhibiting bacterial adhesion and exerting antibacterial effects. This review confirms cranberry as a promising, safe alternative for UTI treatment and prevention in pregnancy, suitable for daily consumption

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a global health concern, increasingly complicated by antibiotic resistance. Cranberry-derived bioactive compounds, particularly proanthocyanidins (PACs), have emerged as a promising non-antibiotic strategy for UTI prevention. This review examines their efficacy, mechanisms of action, and the evolving research landscape through bibliometric analysis. 

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to assess the role of cranberry metabolites in UTI prevention, focusing on anti-adhesive and antimicrobial mechanisms. Additionally, a bibliometric analysis of publications from 1962 to 2024 was performed to evaluate research trends, collaboration networks, and thematic developments. 

Results: Cranberry metabolites, particularly A-type PACs, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, inhibit Escherichia coli adhesion to urothelial cells, reducing UTI recurrence. Gut microbiota-driven transformation of PACs into bioactive metabolites enhances their efficacy, while cranberry oligosaccharides disrupt biofilm formation in high-risk populations. Bibliometric analysis reveals a surge in research interest post-2000, with increasing global collaborations and a focus on clinical applications. 

Discussion and conclusion: Cranberry bioactives demonstrate significant potential in UTI management, yet variations in formulation, dosage, and metabolic bioavailability present challenges. The growing research interest underscores the need for standardized clinical studies to optimize therapeutic efficacy and establish evidence-based guidelines for their use.

Urolithiasis (UL) is a multifactorial condition whose global prevalence has been increasing in recent years, and it is closely associated with dietary factors. Diet is one of the key elements linked to the development of UL, due to the intake of many nutrients that cause metabolic alterations associated with the crystallization process and the risk of developing urinary stones. Despite the crucial role of diet, few studies have implemented dietary interventions. In this sense, dietary modifications play a fundamental role in the prevention, control and management of UL. Thus, the aim of this systematic review is to summarize the main beneficial effects of dietary interventions in population with UL. A comprehensive search was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, SpringerLink, Google Scholar, Scielo, and Redalyc databases for intervention studies published up to July 2025, which reported dietary interventions aimed at preventing and controlling UL. The risk of bias and quality of studies were assessed. A total of 26 articles were included, focusing on dietary interventions such as controlling sodium, oxalate, calcium, citrate, and protein intake, as well as low-calorie diets. Additionally, foods such as lemon, orange, melon, lime, cranberry, apple juices, milk, vinegar, black seed, green bean extract, probiotics, and synbiotic were also explored, which promoted significant changes in serum and urinary parameters related to UL. This review compiles evidence on dietary intervention strategies that lead to significant improvements in biochemical parameters in populations with UL (PROSPERO CRD42022361702).

Background: Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common clinical problem among premenopausal women, often managed with prophylactic antibiotics that contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Cranberry extract, rich in proanthocyanidins, has emerged as a promising non-antibiotic alternative for UTI prevention, though existing evidence remains inconsistent due to variability in study designs and formulations. 

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of standardized cranberry extract supplementation in reducing recurrence rates of urinary tract infections in premenopausal women. 

Methods: This double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted over ten months in tertiary care hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan. A total of 160 premenopausal women with a history of recurrent UTIs were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either 500 mg cranberry extract standardized to 36 mg PACs or placebo once daily for six months. Primary outcomes included the mean number of recurrent UTI episodes and time to first recurrence. Secondary outcomes assessed antibiotic use, adherence, and patient satisfaction. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and chi-square tests, with significance set at p<0.05. 

Results: The cranberry group reported a significantly lower mean number of UTI episodes (0.6 vs. 1.2), longer time to first recurrence (142.3 vs. 97.6 days), and reduced antibiotic use (0.7 vs. 1.4 courses) compared to placebo. Recurrence occurred in 27.5% of the cranberry group versus 57.5% in placebo. Adherence exceeded 90% in both groups, with higher satisfaction in the cranberry arm. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion: Cranberry extract supplementation effectively reduced UTI recurrence and antibiotic dependence among premenopausal women. These findings support its role as a safe, non-antibiotic preventive strategy.