August 15, 2005 – Chinese researchers say two glasses of cranberry juice a day could help to stem the infection. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), the bacteria that causes stomach and duodenal ulcers, as well as stomach cancer.
The double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial1 was carried out over three months with 189 adults infected with this bacterium. They had to drink two glasses of cranberry juice or a placebo every day. The researchers observed that about 15% of the subjects who took the cranberry juice were able to eliminate the bacteria compared to 5% in the placebo group.
The trial was conducted in an area in China where infection with this bacteria is common. Therefore, the risk of contracting a gastric ulcer or stomach cancer is very high there. Researchers believe that regular consumption of cranberry juice may decrease the incidence of these diseases by reducing the rate of infection with H. pylori.
According to them, the oligo-proanthocyanidins (OPC) contained in cranberries would have the effect of preventing the bacteria from adhering to the mucous membranes of the stomach and duodenum. This property of cranberries is already being used for the prevention of cystitis (inflammation of the bladder and urinary tract) which is caused by infection with Escherichia coli (E. coli).
The small red fruit is arousing the interest of many researchers, in particular because of its strong antioxidant properties. It is increasingly considered to be a natural nutraceutical, meaning that it could prove useful in preventing several diseases, including cancer. A simple query in Medline, the American medical database, indicates that there have been no less than a dozen scientific articles on cranberries in the past 30 days.
Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
According to The duty.
1. Zhang L, Ma J, Pan K, Go VL, Chen J, You WC. Efficacy of cranberry juice on Helicobacter pylori infection: a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial.Helicobacter. 2005 Apr; 10 (2): 139-45.