Cranberry
Cranberries are the fruits of the cranberry bush, which is a plant belonging to the heath family and is grown in bogs in the Northern Hemisphere from the frigid zone to the temperate zone. The fruit of the American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) has received considerable attention for its putative human health benefits. Most of the focus is on the flavonoid constituents due to their relatively high biological activity in various assays. The most well documented therapeutic effect of cranberry concerns urinary tract infections. For many years it has been recognized that cranberry juice helps to relieve and possible cure urinary tract infections such a bladder and urethra infections. May persons consider cranberry juice and derivatives to be beneficial to health, and products including powders made from cranberries or cranberry juices are commercially available. Cranberry juice has been shown to reduce bacteriuria associated with urinary tract infections in humans. Doctors often recommend cranberry products to patients suffering from urinary tract infections. Cranberries and cranberry products have been used in the treatment of urinary tract infections both alone and in conjunction with other therapies. The basis for such treatments has traditionally implicated the antimicrobial properties associated with cranberries. The cold pressed cranberry seed oil is a rich source of compounds having important properties when applied to hair and skin. Stigmasterol is an anti-stiffness factor. Beta-sitosterol has use as an antihyperlipoproteinemic agent. One or more of the campesterol, stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol has inflammatory activity and may be useful in the treatment of gingivitis, rash, eczema, and other skin lesions. These compounds found in cranberry seed oil have activity as sunscreen agents. Cold pressed cranberry seed oil has a high linolenic acid content. Linolenic acid has been implicated as a food additive and nutraceutical in preventing coronary heart disease and cancer. Cranberry oil also has a high polyunsaturated: saturated ratio in a neutral lipid fraction, of 10:1. This ratio is regarded as having value in reducing serum cholesterol, atherosclerosis and in preventing heart disease.
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