Natural Medicine
Cranberry
Botanical Name: Vaccinium macrocarpon 
Overview
Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) has been used traditionally since the 17th century to treat a variety of ailments, and from the early 1920s to the present as an herbal treatment for recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs). While much of the initial evidence for the antibacterial properties of cranberry has not been proven, the herb's effectiveness against UTIs is unquestioned and the popularity of cranberry juice for this purpose has soared. Recent scientific studies have shown that cranberry prevents E. coli, the most common cause of UTIs, from adhering to the cells lining the wall of the bladder, thus preventing the bacteria from causing a UTI.
Leo Galland, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut, said the key to cranberry juice's power is a component called hippuric acid, which inhibits the growth of bacteria. In addition to drinking cranberry juice, doctors also recommend drinking 8 glasses of water daily supplementing the diet with vitamin C.
Plant Description
Found in North America and grown in bogs, cranberry is an evergreen shrub that is botanically related to blueberry, buckberry, huckleberry, cowberry, and bilberry. The cranberry bush has upright branches whose leaves are speckled on the underside by tiny dots. Pink flowers blossom and red-black fruits appear during June and July.
Parts Used
The ripe fruit of the cranberry is used in commercial and medicinal preparations.
Medicinal Uses and Indications
Cranberry is used to treat and prevent urinary tract infections of the bladder and urethra (the tube that drains urine from the bladder).
Available Forms
Cranberry is available as juice, fresh or frozen berries, cranberry concentrate, fresh berries, dried capsules, and tablets.
How to Take It
Pediatric
