Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) have been investigated as an excellent dietary source of flavonoids and other compounds with potential health benefits including protection against microbial infections, oxidative processes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and diseases of aging. Cranberry fruit is especially rich in flavonols and anthocyanins, compounds with strong free radical-scavenging properties, as well as proanthocyanidins which are condensed tannins of diverse size and structure. In order to better understand how such antioxidants might protect against damage associated with cardiovascular diseases, we are conducting fractionation and biological studies of flavonoids from cranberry fruit. The ability of cranberry fractions to protect brain cells from damage induced by stroke was evaluated in a tissue culture stroke model using rat neurons. Cranberry treatment reduced neuron death by up to 50%. Among the fractions, those containing anthocyanins appear to be the most effective under conditions of ischemia and oxidative stress. Possible protective mechanisms of cranberry flavonoids against atherosclerosis are also being studied. Cranberry flavonoids were found to inhibit oxidation of lipoproteins, proliferation of vascular cells, and the expression of matrix metalloproteinases associated with the abnormal migration of vascular cells that promotes lesions. We have also observed that some cranberry phytochemicals inhibit the growth of several types of tumor cells. Ursolic acid hydroxycinnamate esters and proanthocyanidins from cranberries inhibit proliferation of breast, colon, prostate and other tumor cell lines. Possible anti-cancer mechanisms for these compounds are being investigated. These studies suggest there may be many potential protective roles for this small but powerful fruit.
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