Written by Jessica Patella, ND. Study confirms that a combination of cranberry and propolis contributed to a decrease in antibiotic consumption in women with recurrent cystitis.

fruits and vegetables - cranberriesUrinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most common infections in women, affecting 11.3 million women in the United States annually at the cost of 1.6 billion dollars 1-3.  The primary cause of urinary tract infections is the bacteria E. coli (80% of cases) which binds to the cells in the bladder wall 1,4.  Due to the fact that it is a common infection and treated with antibiotics, antibiotic resistant strands of E. coli are developing.  For this reason researchers investigated the combination of propolis and cranberry as a possible alternative to antibiotic therapy in reducing occurrence of UTIs in those with recurrent infections 1.

Participants chosen for the research study were women over 18 years of age (average age 53 +/- 18 years) with a minimum of 4 UTIs in the previous 12-months (average episodes 6.2 +/- 3.6 in previous year, n=86).  At least one of the infections had to be confirmed by the presence of E. coli (via urinary culture).  Participants were then randomly divided into one of two groups, one treated with cranberry-propolis-zinc (DUAB-registered trademark, 2 capsules daily, n=43) daily or placebo daily for 6-months (2 capsules, n=43) 1.

The results after 6 months were as follows:

Cranberry-Propolis-Zinc GroupPlacebo GroupSignificance
Average number of infections during 6 months2.3 +/- 1.83.1 +/- 1.8p=0.0906
Average number of infections during first 3 months0.7 +/- 1.11.3 +/- 1.1p=0.0257*
Average time between UTI infections55.6 +/- 30.8 days47.0 +/- 31.9 daysp=0.4174
Frequency of those with no UTI during 6 months0.4710.361p=0.3527
Average time to onset of first UTI episode69.9 +/- 45.8 days43.3 +/- 45.9p=0.0258*

*Reached statistical significance.

Although the cranberry-propolis-zinc group showed improved results in all categories, only two of the results reached statistical significance.  The average number of infections in the first 3 months was significantly less and the increased length of time before the first UTI also reached statistical significance, correlating to a 61% extension in days without UTI compared to placebo.

In conclusion, the cranberry-propolis-zinc group showed some improvement over placebo in women with recurrent UTIs.  It was a small sample size, but it was the first study to examine the combination of cranberry and propolis in reducing infections and therefore antibiotic use in women.  Future research is needed to confirm results 1.

Source: Bruyère, Franck, Abdel Rahmène Azzouzi, Jean-Philippe Lavigne, Stéphane Droupy, Patrick Coloby, Xavier Game, Gilles Karsenty et al. “A Multicenter, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study Evaluating the Efficacy of a Combination of Propolis and Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon)(DUAB®) in Preventing Low Urinary Tract Infection Recurrence in Women Complaining of Recurrent Cystitis.” Urologia internationalis (2019): 1-8.

© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel

Posted January 6, 2020.

Jessica Patella, ND, is a naturopathic physician specializing in nutrition and homeopathic medicine and offers a holistic approach to health. She earned her ND from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ, and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Visit her website at www.awarenesswellness.com.

References:

  1. Bruyère F, Azzouzi AR, Lavigne J-P, et al. A Multicenter, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study Evaluating the Efficacy of a Combination of Propolis and Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon)(DUAB®) in Preventing Low Urinary Tract Infection Recurrence in Women Complaining of Recurrent Cystitis. Urologia internationalis. 2019:1-8.
  2. Foxman B, Barlow R, D’Arcy H, Gillespie B, Sobel JD. Urinary tract infection: self-reported incidence and associated costs. Annals of epidemiology. 2000;10(8):509-515.
  3. Russo TA, Johnson JR. Medical and economic impact of extraintestinal infections due to Escherichia coli: focus on an increasingly important endemic problem. Microbes and infection. 2003;5(5):449-456.
  4. Ronald A. The etiology of urinary tract infection: traditional and emerging pathogens. Disease-a-month. 2003;49(2):71-82.