CRANBERRY, A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT FOR URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS

  • Liljana Labacevska Gjatovska Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
  • Marko Kostovski Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius in University Skopje, North Macedonia
  • Maja Jurhar-Pavlova Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius in University Skopje, North Macedonia
  • Danica Kovacheva-Trpkovska Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius in University Skopje, North Macedonia
  • Radomir Jovchevski Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius in University Skopje, North Macedonia
  • Kiril Mihajlov Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius in University Skopje, North Macedonia
  • Tatjana Grdanoska Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius in University Skopje, North Macedonia
  • Bojan Labachevski Institute of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
  • Kristina Pavlovska Institute of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia

Abstract

Vaccinium macrocarpon is perennial plant traditionally used as an herbal medicine in treatment and prevention of UTIs. Although the mechanisms of action are not jet fully understood  it is presumed that they involve interferation with bacterial adhesion and changes in bacterial morphology mainly attributed to the plants proanthocyanidins. Cranberry extracts (CE) standardized for different concentrations of proanthocyanidinnes (PACs), CE in combination with antibiotics (norfloxacin and vancomycin) and antibiotics alone (only antibiotics) were investigated for their effect on different strains of uropathogenic E.coli, S. saprophyticus and E. faecalis.  As a source of CE we used commercial herbal supplements containing only Vaccinium macrocarpon extract (37.5 mg PACs) or CE in combination with D-manoza (25, 3 mg PACs). We used bacterial strains isolated  from outpatients with UTIs reffered for routine urine examination at the Institute of microbiology and parasitology. Sensitivity of the pathogens to CE (as monoagent or combined in herbal mix) was evaluated with disc diffusion method. Our results showed stronger effect of CE on the growth of E.coli compared to Gram-positive strains. S. saprophyticus strains were more susceptible to the extract/herbal mixes compared to the enterococci which predominantly presented as recalcitrant to the inhibitory activity of cranberry/herbal mixes. The sample size of this study was small to draw definite conclusions but our results illuminate avenues for future research of the potential of cranberry as an alternative treatment in patients with UTIs.


Keywords: cranberry, UTIs, E.coli, antimicrobial resistance

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Published
2023-12-27
How to Cite
GJATOVSKA, Liljana Labacevska et al. CRANBERRY, A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT FOR URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS. Journal of Morphological Sciences, [S.l.], v. 6, n. 3, p. 183-189, dec. 2023. ISSN 2545-4706. Available at: <https://jms.mk/jms/article/view/vol6no3-24>. Date accessed: 21 dec. 2024.
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