Cranberries Vaccinium macrocarpon acidity

Liberty, A. M. Hart, P. E. Neto, G. G. Ursolic Acid and Proanthocyanidins from Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) Inhibit Colony Formation and Proliferation in HCT-116 and HT-29 Colon and MCF-7 Breast Tumor Cells. Proceedings of the 233rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007. 

Kahlon, T. S., Smith, G. E. In vitro binding of bile acids by blueberries (Vaccinium spp ), plums (Prunus spp.), prunes (Prunus spp.), strawberries (Fragaria X ananassa), cherries (Malpighia punicifolia), cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and apples (Malus sylvestris). Food Chem. 100,3, 2007. 

The finit of the American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) has been used for the amelioration of urinary tract infections for over 100 years. Women in Cape Cod were known to employ cranberry finit for dysurea. Many physicians have routinely recommended cranberry juice consumption to patients experiencing urinary tract infections. Women are particularly susceptible to urinary tract infections. An estimated 11 million women in the United States experience a UTI, and many have chronic infections. There is considerable evidence to support the use of cranberries for the prevention of urinary tract infections 1,2). Bodel et al (3) in 1959 were among the first to report the antibacterial action of cranberry juice, attributing the effect to production of hippuric acid resulting in the acidification of the urine. Subsequent reports supported the use of cranberry juice for urinary tract infection (4 6). Reports also suggested the beneficial effect was due to the acidity (5-7). However, as experimental techniques improved over the years, the acidity theory was disproved and replaced by a new theory of bacterial anti-adhesion... 

Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) are potentially an excellent dietary source of phenolic confounds such as flavonoids, anthocyanins and caffeic acid derivatives which are potent antioxidants. Studies also link a lowered incidence of breast cancer to cranberry juice consumption. In this study, cranberry fruits were fractionated by several methods and tested for radical-scavenging activity in an effort to begin establishing a link between chemical composition and antioxidant activity. The strongest activity was observed in flavonoid-rich extracts. Cytotoxicity assays in several tumor cell lines showed some specificity for HT-29 tumor cells and K562 cells from a methanolic cranberry extract containing several phenolic compounds. 

An extract of leaves of the American cranberry plant, Vaccinium macrocarpon, was examined for growth inhibitors. No free parasorbic acid, a known growth inhibitor from cranberry leaves, could be isolated in the absence of a preliminary acid or base treatment. 

Vattem DA, Shetty K. EUagic acid production and phenolic antioxidant activity in cranberry pomace Vaccinium macrocarpon) mediated by Lentinus edodes using a solid-state system. Process Biochem 2003 39 367-79. 

Vaccinium macrocarpon cranberry concentrate in rats urine and blood 2 flavonols, 7 anthocyanins Tissue ELE (homogenization, 80 % MeOH containing 0.1% acetic acid vortex, centrifugation 80 % MeOH aq.) Phenomenex Fusion (150 X 2.0 mm, 1.8 pm) Gradient 0.1 % formic acid (aq.) and 0.1 % formic acid in MeCN MS (-ve. TQ, MS ) [132]... 

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