Phytochemicals contribute to the vibrant colors of fruits and it is suggested that the darker the fruit the higher the antioxidative or anticarcinogenic properties. In this study we investigated the possible effects of blueberries (BLU), blackberries (BLK), plums (PLM), mangoes (MAN), pomegranate juice (POJ), watermelon juice (WMJ) and cranberry juice (CBJ) on azoxymethane (AOM)-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in Fisher 344 male rats. Forty-eight male Fisher 344 rats were randomly assigned to eight groups (n=6). The groups were fed AIN-93G as a control (C) diet, the rats fed fruits received AIN-93G+5% fruits and the groups that were given fruits juices received 20% fruit juice instead of water. The rats received subcutaneous injections of AOM at 16 mg/kg body weight at seventh and eighth weeks of age. At 17th week of age, the rats were killed by CO(2) asphyxiation. Total ACF numbers (mean+/-SEM) in the rats fed CON, BLU, BLK, PLM, MNG, POJ, WMJ and CBJ were 171.67+/-5.6, 11.33+/-2.85, 24.0+/-0.58, 33.67+/-0.89, 28.67+/-1.33, 15.67+/-1.86, 24.33+/-3.92 and 39.0+/-15.31. Total glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity (mICROmol/mg) in the liver of the rats fed fruits (except BLK) and fruit juices were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the rats fed fruits and fruit juices compared with the control. Our findings suggest that among the fruits and fruit juices, BLU and POJ contributed to significant (P<0.05) reductions in the formation of AOM-induced ACF.

Abstract: Urinary ionized calcium was determined by a calcium activity electrode in 32 normal persons and in 54 patients with calcium-containing renal stones and without urinary tract infection. It was found to be 38 per cent higher in patients with calcium-containing renal stone in comparison to normal persons. However, this was not statistically significant. No consistant change in total or ionized calcium excretion was produced in normal volunteers by the administration of as much as 5 pints of cranberry juice. In patients with renal stones, the urinary ionized calcium was reduced during the cranberry juice ingestion by 50 per cent, which was statistically highly significant.

PURPOSE: This review provides practicing urologists with important basic information about urinary tract infections (UTIs) that can be applied to everyday clinical problems.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A review is presented of provocative and controversial concepts in the current literature.

RESULTS: Bacterial virulence mechanisms are critical for overcoming the normal host defenses. Increasing antimicrobial resistance of uropathogens has led to reconsideration of traditional treatment recommendations in many areas. For effective patient management the first issue is to define complicating urological factors. Managing complicated urinary tract infections, particularly in urology, is determined by clinical experience to define the pertinent anatomy and to determine the optimal interventions. New clinical data are summarized on UTIs in long-term care patients, behavioral risks for UTI in healthy women and anatomical differences associated with an increased risk for UTI. The rationale is presented for UTI prophylaxis using cranberry juice, immunization and bacterial interference. Current treatment trends for UTI include empiric therapy (without urine culture and sensitivity testing), short-course therapy, patient-administered (self-start) therapy and outpatient therapy for uncomplicated pyelonephritis.

CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations for treating patients with UTIs have changed based on basic science and clinical experience.

In this review we assess the effectiveness of cranberry and blueberry products in preventing symptomatic urinary tract infections (UTIs). Selection criteria were randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials of cranberry or blueberry juice/products for the prevention of symptomatic UTIs. A comprehensive search was undertaken in November 2006 whereupon two reviewers independently assessed and extracted data. Quality was assessed using Cochrane criteria. Relative risks (RR) were calculated where appropriate; otherwise a narrative synthesis was undertaken. No relevant trials of blueberry products were identified. Nine trials of cranberry products met the inclusion criteria. In four good quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cranberry products significantly reduced the incidence of symptomatic UTIs in 12 months (overall RR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.46-0.90) compared with placebo/control. Five trials were not included in the meta-analyses due to the lack of appropriate data. However, only one reported a significant result. Side effects were common, and losses to followup/withdrawals in several of the trials were high (> 40%). There is some evidence from four good quality RCTs that cranberry juice may decrease the number of symptomatic UTIs over a 12-month period, particularly in women with recurrent UTIs. It is uncertain whether it is effective in other susceptible groups.

Studies employing mainly in vitro tumor models show that extracts and compounds isolated from cranberry fruit (Vaccinium macrocarpon) inhibit the growth and proliferation of several types of tumor including breast, colon, prostate, and lung. Proanthocyanidin oligomers, flavonol and anthocyanin glycosides and triterpenoids are all likely contributors to the observed anticancer properties and may act in a complementary fashion to limit carcinogenesis. Possible chemopreventive mechanisms of action by cranberry phytochemicals include induction of apoptosis in tumor cells, reduced ornithine decarboxylase activity, decreased expression of matrix metalloproteinases associated with prostate tumor metastasis, and anti-inflammatory activities including inhibition of cyclooxygenases. A review of recent studies suggests a potential role for cranberry as a dietary chemopreventive and provides direction for future research.

Studies were undertaken to investigate the antiviral effects of comestible juices, especially cranberry juice, on non-related viral species. After exposure of bacteriophage T2 to a commercially available cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) juice cocktail (CJ), virus infectivity titer was no longer detectible. After a 60-min exposure to orange (OJ) and grapefruit juices (GJ), phage infectivity was reduced to 25-35% of control, respectively. Similar data were observed for the bacteriophage T4. CJ inactivation of phage T4 was rapid, dose-dependent, and occurred at either 4 or 23 degrees C. Neither pH nor differences in sugar/carbohydrate levels among the juices may be ascribed to the recognized antiviral effects. Further studies were performed to identify the occurrence of antiviral activity by CJ to a mammalian enteric virus. The treatment of the simian rotavirus SA-11 with a 20% CJ suspension was sufficient to inhibit hemagglutination. Under scanning and transmission electron microscopy, CJ was observed to inhibit the adsorption of phage T4 to its bacterial host cells and prevented the replication of rotavirus in its monkey kidney (MA-104) host cells, respectively. The data suggest, for the first time, a non-specific antiviral effect towards unrelated viral species (viz., bacteriophages T2 and T4 and the simian rotavirus SA-11) by a commercially available cranberry fruit juice drink.

Berries are a good source of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, micronutrients, and fiber. In epidemiological and clinical studies, these constituents have been associated with improved cardiovascular risk profiles. Human intervention studies using chokeberries, cranberries, blueberries, and strawberries (either fresh, or as juice, or freeze-dried), or purified anthocyanin extracts have demonstrated significant improvements in LDL oxidation, lipid peroxidation, total plasma antioxidant capacity, dyslipidemia, and glucose metabolism. Benefits were seen in healthy subjects and in those with existing metabolic risk factors. Underlying mechanisms for these beneficial effects are believed to include upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, decreased activities of carbohydrate digestive enzymes, decreased oxidative stress, and inhibition of inflammatory gene expression and foam cell formation. Though limited, these data support the recommendation of berries as an essential fruit group in a heart-healthy diet.

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) ingestion has long been associated with prevention of urinary tract infections. The beneficial mechanism was historically thought to be due to the fruit acids causing a bacteriostatic effect in the urine. However, recently, a group of proanthocyanidins (PACs) with A-type linkages were isolated from cranberry which exhibit bacterial antiadhesion activity against both antibiotic susceptible and resistant strains of uropathogenic P-fimbriated Escherichia coli bacteria. The link between cranberry ingestion and maintenance of urinary tract health as well as the structural diversity, pharmacokinetics, quantification, and bacterial antiadhesion bioactivity of the A-linked cranberry PACs are reviewed.

The American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is one of the three commercially important fruits native to North America. Cranberries are a particularly rich source of phenolic phytochemicals, including phenolic acids (benzoic, hydroxycinnamic, and ellagic acids) and flavonoids (anthocyanins, flavonols, and flavan-3-ols). A growing body of evidence suggests that polyphenols, including those found in cranberries, may contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by increasing the resistance of LDL to oxidation, inhibiting platelet aggregation, reducing blood pressure, and via other anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Research regarding the bioactivity of cranberries and their constituents on risk factors for CVD is reviewed.

Growing evidence from tissue culture, animal, and clinical models suggests that the flavonoid-rich fruits of the North American cranberry and blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) have the potential ability to limit the development and severity of certain cancers and vascular diseases including atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, and neurodegenerative diseases of aging. The fruits contain a variety of phytochemicals that could contribute to these protective effects, including flavonoids such as anthocyanins, flavonols, and proanthocyanidins; substituted cinnamic acids and stilbenes; and triterpenoids such as ursolic acid and its esters. Cranberry and blueberry constituents are likely to act by mechanisms that counteract oxidative stress, decrease inflammation, and modulate macromolecular interactions and expression of genes associated with disease processes. The evidence suggests a potential role for dietary cranberry and blueberry in the prevention of cancer and vascular diseases, justifying further research to determine how the bioavailability and metabolism of berry phytonutrients influence their activity in vivo.