Cranberry Extract May Interfere with Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms

The American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon L.) fruit and its derivatives have long been known as a natural remedy for urinary tract infections.

Researchers have shown that cranberry proanthocyanidin (cPAC) may help potentiate the in vitro activity of a range of antibiotic classes against the human pathogens E. coli, P. mirabilis, and P. aeruginosa. Results from this study also demonstrated that cPAC acts by repressing two antibiotic resistance mechanisms, selective membrane permeability and multidrug efflux pumps (cell transporters). The use of cPAC to potentiate antibiotics and mitigate the development of resistance could improve treatment outcomes and may help to combat the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.
 
Maisuria, V., Okshevsky, M., Déziel, E., Tufenkji, N. (2019). Proanthocyanidin Interferes with Intrinsic Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms of Gram‐Negative Bacteria. Advanced Science, doi.org/10.1002/advs.201802333.