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

• Published in: Phytotherapy Research
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley-Blackwell 2011
• Subjects: Life Sciences; Marko; Sanna; Crowberry; Empetrum nigrum
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2262/56724; https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.3240

Abstract 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. [e-mail] (Huttunen, Sanna) [e-mail] (Toivanen, Marko) [e-mail] (Arkko, Satu) [e-mail] (Ruponen, Marika) [e-mail] (Tikkanen-Kaukanen, Carina) University of Eastern Finland, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition - P.O.Box 1627--> - FI-70211 - Kuopio - FINLAND (Huttunen, Sanna) University of Eastern Finland, School of Pharmacy - Kuopio - FINLAND (Toivanen, Marko) University of Eastern Finland, School of Pharmacy - Kuopio - FINLAND (Arkko, Satu) University of Eastern Finland, School of Pharmacy - Kuopio - FINLAND (Ruponen, Marika) University of Eastern Finland, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition - Kuopio - FINLAND (Tikkanen-Kaukanen, Carina) FINLAND