Inhibition activity of wild berry juice fractions against Streptococcus pneumoniae binding to human bronchial cells

• Published in: Phytotherapy Research
• Main Authors: Huttunen, Sanna, Toivanen, Marko, Arkko, Satu, Ruponen, Marika, Tikkanen-Kaukanen, Carina
• Other Authors: Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, School of Pharmacy
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2010
• Subjects: Life Sciences; Crowberry; Empetrum nigrum
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00599830; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00599830/document; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00599830/file/PEER_stage2_10.1002%252Fptr.3240.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.3240

International audience Bacterial adhesion to the cell surface is a crucial step before infection can take place. Inhibition of bacterial binding offers a novel preventive approach against infections. Cranberry ( Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) juice has been found to have anti-adhesive activity against different bacteria. Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important pathogen and the most common cause for pneumonia, meningitis, and otitis media. In this study the inhibitory activity of cranberry ( Vaccinium oxycoccos ), bilberry ( Vaccinium myrtillus ), and crowberry ( Empetrum nigrum and Empetrum hermaphroditum L.) juice fractions against pneumococcal binding was tested using human bronchial cells (Calu-3) as an adhesion model. In addition, antimicrobial activity of the berry juice fractions was tested. It was found that the studied berry juice fractions had anti-adhesion activity and cranberry juice was the most active. The adhesion inhibition activity of cranberry juice was nearly 90 % at the concentration of 8.7 mg/g of soluble solids. Antimicrobial activity of the studied berry juice fractions was found to be remarkable; pneumococcal growth was inhibited totally at the concentration of ~86 mg/g. Both anti-adhesion and antimicrobial activities were reduced after solid-phase extraction of the berry juices, which may suggest molecular synergistic effects of the berry juice molecules against S. pneumoniae . The findings indicate that cranberry, bilberry, and crowberry juices have potential against pneumococcal infections.