In Praise of the Cranberry

[Guest guest]

There is a fabulous berry out there that few people consume.

Here are some snippits of extracts from Medline.

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric determination of

inhibition of human cytochrome P450 isozymes by resveratrol and

resveratrol-3-sulfate.

Yu C, Shin YG, Kosmeder JW, Pezzuto JM, van Breemen RB.

Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of

Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.

PMID: 12569440 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

trans-Resveratrol, a phenolic phytoalexin occurring in grapes, wine,

peanuts, and cranberries, has been reported to both have

anticarcinogenic, antioxidative, phytoestrogenic, and

cardioprotective activities………

(comment: perhaps we can get many of the benefits of drinking red

wine from eating cranberries, due to their trans-resveratrol content)

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J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Jan 15;51(2):502-9. Related Articles,

Links

Oxygen radical absorbing capacity of phenolics in blueberries,

cranberries, chokeberries, and lingonberries.

Zheng W, Wang SY.

Fruit Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center,

Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.

The antioxidant activity of phenolics in fruits of blueberry,

cranberry, wild chokeberry, and lingonberry was determined in this

study. The phenolic constituents and contents among the different

berries varied considerably. Anthocyanins were found to be the main

components in all these berries. Chlorogenic acid in blueberry,

quercetin glycosides in cranberry and lingonberry, and caffeic acid

and its derivative in chokeberry were also present in relatively high

concentrations. Chlorogenic acid, peonidin 3-galactoside, cyanidin 3-

galactoside, and cyanidin 3-galactoside were the most important

antioxidants in blueberry, cranberry, wild chokeberry, and

lingonberry, respectively..…….. Phenolics such as quercetin and

cyaniding…….. had highly effective radical scavenging structures in

blueberries, cranberries, chokeberries, and lingonberries

PMID: 12517117 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Dec 4;50(25):7449-54. Related Articles,

Links

Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of common fruits.

Sun J, Chu YF, Wu X, Liu RH.

Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

14853-7201, USA.

Consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with reduced

risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Phytochemicals, especially phenolics, in fruits and vegetables are

suggested to be the major bioactive compounds for the health

benefits. However, the phenolic contents and their antioxidant

activities in fruits and vegetables were underestimated in the

literature, because bound phenolics were not included. This study was

designed to investigate the profiles of total phenolics, including

both soluble free and bound forms in common fruits...... Cranberry

had the highest total phenolic content, followed by apple, red grape,

strawberry, pineapple, banana, peach, lemon, orange, pear, and

grapefruit. Total antioxidant activity was measured .... Cranberry

had the highest total antioxidant activity, followed by apple, red

grape, strawberry, peach, lemon, pear, banana, orange, grapefruit,

and pineapple. Antiproliferation activities were also studied in

vitro using HepG(2) human liver-cancer cells, and cranberry showed

the highest inhibitory effect..... followed by lemon, apple,

strawberry, red grape, banana, grapefruit, and peach..

PMID: 12452674 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Oct 9;50(21):5844-9. Related Articles,

Links

Antioxidant activities and antitumor screening of extracts from

cranberry fruit (Vaccinium macrocarpon).

Yan X, BT, Hammond GB, Vinson JA, Neto CC.

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts-

Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02747, USA.

Polyphenolic compounds in cranberries have been investigated to

determine their role in protection against cardiovascular disease and

some cancers. Extracts of whole fruit were assayed for radical-

scavenging activity and tumor growth inhibition using seven tumor

cell lines……….. Radical-scavenging activity was greatest in an

extract composed primarily of flavonol glycosides. Seven flavonol

glycosides were isolated and purified from whole fruit for further

evaluation; the anthocyanin cyanidin 3-galactoside was also purified

for comparison with the flavonoids...... These compounds were

evaluated for ......radical-scavenging activity and ability to

inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation in vitro. Most of the

flavonol glycosides showed antioxidant activity comparable or

superior to that of vitamin E; cyanidin 3-galactoside showed activity

superior to that of the flavonoids as well as vitamin E or Trolox in

both antioxidant assays.

PMID: 12358448 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2002;42(3 Suppl):301-16. Related

Articles, Links

Cranberry flavonoids, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular health.

J.

Department of Animal Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison,

53706, USA.

Atherosclerosis is the deposition of plaques containing cholesterol

and lipids in arterial walls. Atherosclerosis causes cardiovascular

disease that lead to heart attacks and stroke. Mortality from these

diseases is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Atherogenisis

starts with the uptake of oxidized LDL by endothelial macrophages,

the accumulation of foam cells in the intima of the artery and the

formation of fatty streaks. Research indicates that consumption of

flavonoids in foods and beverages may decrease the risk of

atherosclerosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments with flavonoids

demonstrate that flavonoids are dietary antioxidants and inhibit LDL

oxidation, inhibit platelet aggregation and adhesion, inhibit enzymes

involved in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism that affect the immune

response to oxidized LDL and their uptake by endothelial macrophages,

may induce endothelium-dependent vassorelaxation, and may increase

reverse cholesterol transport and decrease total and LDL cholesterol.

Cranberries contain both hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids. The

cranberry flavonoids belong to three groups: anthocyanins, flavonols,

and proanthocyanidins. This article reviews the literature on the

effects of flavonoids on atherosclerosis with an emphasis on the

potential effects of the flavonols and proanthocyanidins in

cranberries.

Publication Types:

· Review

· Review, Tutorial

PMID: 12058989 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2002;42(3 Suppl):279-84. Related

Articles, Links

Comment on:

· Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2002;42(3 Suppl):267-72.

Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori adhesion to human gastric mucus by

a high-molecular-weight constituent of cranberry juice.

Burger O, Weiss E, Sharon N, Tabak M, Neeman I, Ofek I.

Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

A high-molecular-weight constituent of cranberry juice has been found

to inhibit the sialyllactose specific adhesion of Helicobacter pylori

strains to immobilized human mucus, erythrocytes, and cultured

gastric epithelial cells. Different isolates of H. pylori differ in

their affinity to the cranberry juice constituent. Cranberry juice

may also inhibit adhesion of bacteria to the stomach in vivo, and may

prove useful for the prevention of stomach ulcer that is caused by H.

pylori.

Publication Types:

· Comment

PMID: 12058986 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

J Agric Food Chem. 2001 Nov;49(11):5315-21. Related Articles,

Links

Phenol antioxidant quantity and quality in foods: fruits.

Vinson JA, Su X, Zubik L, Bose P.

Department of Chemistry, University of Scranton, Scranton,

Pennsylvania 18510-4626, USA. vinson@...

The free and bound phenols have been measured in 20 fruits commonly

consumed in the American diet. Phenols were measured colorimetrically

using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent with catechin as the standard after

correction for ascorbic acid contribution. On a fresh weight basis,

cranberry had the highest total phenols, and was distantly followed

by red grape. Free and total phenol quality in the fruits was

analyzed by using the inhibition of lower density lipoprotein

oxidation promoted by cupric ion. Ascorbate had only a minor

contribution to the antioxidants in fruits with the exception of

melon, nectarine, orange, white grape, and strawberry. The fruit

extracts' antioxidant quality was better than the vitamin

antioxidants and most pure phenols, suggesting synergism among the

antioxidants in the mixture. Using our assay, fruits had

significantly better quantity and quality of phenol antioxidants than

vegetables. Fruits, specifically apples and cranberries, have phenol

antioxidants that can enrich lower density lipoproteins and protect

them from oxidation………….

PMID: 11714322 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]