Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon)
Alternate names
 Cranberry
 American cranberry
 Bog cranberry
Native to
 North America
Medicinal parts used
 The fruit of a native plant
Uses
 Urinary disorders (some evidence supports prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs);
not effective as treatment
 Possible prevention of Helicobacter pylori infection, which causes gastrointestinal ulcers
and dental plaque
How it works
 Components found in cranberry may prevent bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, from
clinging to the cells along the walls of the urinary tract and causing infection
 Preliminary evidence indicates that cranberry may reduce the ability of H pylori bacteria to
live in the stomach
 The true mechanism of action is unknown
Side effects and warnings
 It appears that eating cranberry foods is safe, but drinking excessive amounts of juice may
cause gastrointestinal upset or diarrhea
 According to some sources, people who take blood-thinning drugs, medications that affect
the liver, or aspirin should use cranberries cautiously
Dosage recommendations
 No widely accepted dose standardization for cranberry juice products exists
 Adults to prevent UTIs: 1−10 fluid ounces of cranberry juice was studied, but the ideal
dose was not determined
References and recommended readings
MedlinePlus. Cranberry. Available at:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/958.html. Accessed March 16, 2011.
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Cranberry. Available at:
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/cranberry/ataglance.htm. Accessed March 16, 2011.
Review Date 5/11
G-1635