Purpose: Previous studies showed that cranberries and related products may play a role in the prevention of urinary tract infection. The objective of this study is to investigate composite UmayC, a cranberry composite with the herbal extract Acrobio TS and Acrobio GL, in its effectiveness for catheter-associated lower urinary tract infection in an animal model.
Materials and methods: A catheter was inserted into the bladder of rats with or without bacterial suspension. The rats were randomly assigned to the treated or the control group, which, respectively, received or did not receive UmayC in chowder diet. The voiding pattern was recorded using a metabolic cage. Spleen lysate cytokines were measured in both groups with Western blot analysis.
Results: The voiding pattern remained nearly the same in UmayC-treated rats, even when they had a bacterial suspension-filled catheter inserted. The most significant cytokine changes in these rats were decreased spleen interleukin-10 and interleukin-6, which may indicate a diminished host response to infection under UmayC herbal composite treatment.
Conclusions: UmayC herbal composite can reduce bladder irritation caused by catheter-related infection. The host immune response to infection may also be altered and improved by the preventive effectiveness of Acrobio TS- and Acrobio GL-composited cranberry.
Copyright (c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.