Cranberry Juice Can Keep Bacteria Away From Cells

paktribune.com — A new study by researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) reveals that the cranberry juice changes the thermodynamic properties of bacteria in the urinary tract, creating an energy barrier that prevents the microorganisms from getting close enough to latch onto cells and initiate an infection.The study, published in the journal Colloids and Surfaces: B, helps explain how cranberry juice can prevent urinary tract infections.They exposed two varieties of E. coli bacteria, one with hair-like projections known as fimbriae and one without, to different concentrations of cranberry juice. Fimbriae are present on a number of virulent bacteria, including those that cause urinary tract infections, and are believed to be used by bacteria to form strong bonds with cells. For those watching calories, Camesano says other recent work in her lab has shown that the effects of regular cranberry juice cocktail and diet (sugar-free) cranberry juice are identical. "That`s good news for people who do not like to consume a lot of sugary juice," she says

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