Cranberries Prevent, Treat Stroke Damage 31992

Cranberries Prevent, Treat Stroke Damage

DARTMOUTH, Mass.Cranberriesmay be able to reduce the neuronal damage associated with strokes, according toresearch out of the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. In a paper presentedat the 226th national meeting of the American Chemical Society (www.chemistry.org), held Sept. 7 to 11 in New York, researchers said theirfindings offer a compelling reason for recent stroke victims and those at riskfor stroke to consume cranberries.

In the study, researchers administered a concentratedcranberry extract to rat brain cells exposed to simulated stroke conditions.(The stroke was simulated in one of two ways: by depriving cells of oxygen andglucose to mimic ischemic stroke in which brain cells are starved of oxygen anddie, or by exposing cells to hydrogen peroxide, simulating the action that takesplace following a stroke when oxygen begins to flow to the brain again.)Exposure to the highest concentration of extract, which was roughly equivalentto half a cup of whole cranberries, caused a 50-percent reduction in neuronaldeath. Those cells not exposed to cranberry experienced no benefit.

This study shows that cranberries have the potential toprotect against brain cell damage that occurs during a stroke event, saidCatherine Neto, Ph.D., a study investigator. It may not stop a stroke fromoccurring initially, but it may reduce the severity of stroke.

Until more studies are done, the studys authors say it isunknown what amount of cranberries or cranberry juice people should consume tohave an optimal effect against stroke. The study was funded by the University ofMassachusetts and The Cranberry Institute.