Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

tract infections in mice. Cranberry juice fruc-

tose and an uncharacterized high molecular

weight polymeric compound inhibit cellular

adhesion of uropathogenic strains ofE. coli.

The antiadhesive agent of cranberry juice may

preventE.colicolonization in the gut, in the

bladder, or in both.^7 Dosage of juice ranges

from 5 to 20 oz daily (6 oz are equivalent to

90 g of fresh fruit). One study found that

drinking 4–6 oz of cranberry juice daily for

7 weeks appeared to prevent urinary tract

infections in 19 of 28 nursing home patients;

a preventative rather than curative effect was

suggested.^8

USES

Food. Fruit juice, jelly, sauce: commonly

eaten with poultry. Leaves a folk tea substi-

tute. Cranberry juice cocktail is a 33% dilution

of pure juice with added fructose. Approxi-

mately 1500 g of fresh fruit produce 1 L of

juice. Anthocyanin pigment from fruit pulp

used as commercial food coloring.

Dietary Supplements/Health Foods. Fruit

juice concentrates or dried fruit in capsules

and tablets, intended for relief of urinary tract

infections (LUST).

Traditional Medicine. Fruit juice tradition-

ally considered diuretic, antiseptic, febrifuge,

refrigerant; a home remedy for treatment of

urinary tract infections; folk cancer remedy in

eastern Europe (STEINMETZ).

COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS

Fruit juice, juice concentrates, dried fruit,

juice concentrate in capsules.

REFERENCES

See the General References forBLUMENTHAL2;CRELLIN AND PHILPOTT;GLEASON AND CRONQUIST;LUST;

STEINMETZ;TUTIN3;UPHOF.

1. L. Liberti,Lawrence Rev. (1987).


2. P. T. Bodel et al.,J. Lab. Clin. Med., 54 , 881
   (1959).


3. P. Sternlieb, N. Engl. J. Med., 268 ,57
   (1963).


4. A. E. Sobata,J. Urol., 131 , 1013 (1984).


5. D. R. Schmidt and A. E. Sobata,Microbios,
   55 , 173 (1988).
   6. D. Zafriri et al., Antimicrob. Agents
   Chemother., 33 , 92 (1989).
   7. I. Ofek et al.,N. Eng. J. Med., 324 (22),
   1599 (1991).
   8. L. Gibson et al.,J. Naturopathic Med.,
   2 (1), 45 (1991).

CUBEBS

Source: Piper cubebaL. f. (syn.Cubeba

officinalisMiq.) (Family Piperaceae).

Common/vernacular names:Cubeba, cubeb

berries, and tailed pepper.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Evergreen shrub or climbing vine, up to about

6 m high, often grown with other economic

plants such as coffee; native to Indonesia and

cultivated throughout Southeast Asia. Part

used is the dried, fully grown but unripe fruit,

Cubebs 233