Winter 2001 Issue — Cran-Max The Nutraceutical Cranberry Ingredient

Douglas G. Mann

CEO and Chairman
Cape Code Biolab Corporation

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Clinically tested and proven to be remarkable efficacious as a preventive / prophylactic against UTI's. The branded ingredient and trade name is Cranberry Ingredient Cran-Max, manufactured by Cape Cod Biolab Corporation, of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, in the heart of cranberry bog land and distributed by Buckton Scott Health Products Ltd. Rochford, UK. Cran-Max is a Cape Cod Biolab Corporation differentiated daily. Effectiveness of Cran-Max has been tested in 500mg capsule, gelatine and caplets form.

Since the development of Cran-Max the product has been evaluated in a number of clinical studies in the US and Europe, both in hospitals and urological clinics. In a recent six-month clinical trial conducted in the Czech Republic involving 49 participants (25 on Cran-Max and 24 in a control group), researches compared the efficacy of V as a prophylactic against a continuous low dose chemotherapeutic regimen.

The results, reported recently at an International Urology Congress, strongly favoured Cran-Max as a preventative against UTI's. During the study period the control group collectively suffered fifty-five (55) UTI's while those patients on the Cran-Max had only nine (9) recurrences. The researchers further noted that Cran-Max as far less expensive and had no side effects whereas the control group had fourteen (14) adverse events.

The Complete Cranberry & Bio-Shield(TM) Protection

Cran-Max is made from the complete cranberry - the fruit solids, seeds, skin and concentrated juices to maintain the full synergistic, concentrated spectrum of this herb. This patent pending formulation and processing technology infuses the bioactives into an all-natural carrier called "Bio-Shield(TM).

Mechanism of Action & Bioavailability

The condensed tannins infused into the Bio-Shield(TM) carrier delivers the bioactives through the stomach acids without deterioration. This product travels to the lower intestines over a 12-16 hour period where your bodily enzymes release, on a sustained natural basis, the condensed tannins into the blood stream. The sites of actions are continually bombarded with small quantities of cranberry bioactives.

It is important to realise that the E. coli. is not killed by the cranberries, but just physiologically changed so that attachment is not impossible. They just wash away. In extreme E. coli. colonisation, the bacteria form a bio-film over the infection. At this point they become resistant to antibiotic. Only the condensed tannins in cranberry and blueberry can penetrate this bacteria defence.

Current medicinal applications and studies

Attacking the E. Coli Bacteria with Cranberries

It was not until Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. promoted back in the early 1950s a sweetened cranberry juice cocktail did cranberry juice obtain its national appeal and usage. As our society progressed, so did the product recognition for combating Urinary Tract Infection (UTI's).

Prior to the publication of Avorn, J. et al. "Reduction of bacteria and pyuria after ingestion of cranberry juice" JAMA (1994), the scientific communities' belief was that the tritratible attacks of quinic, malic and citric acids were the "silver bullet" of the cranberries "mechanism of action". It is true that these acids have a significant affect on lessening the ammoniated smell of urine but they do not affect the colonisation of the E. coli bacteria. This bacterium represents 80% of all UTI's.

In 1998, Ahuaji, S., et al reported that the cranberry irreversible inhibits the expression of P-fimbriae of E. coli. By adding small amounts of cranberry juice to a petri dish, Ahuaji was able to observe the E. coli bacteria actually change its cell structure, disabling the bacteria's fimbriae and inhibited agglitination (colonisation).

In October of 1998, researches led by Amy Howell, PhD, at Rutgers University, identified the condensed tannins of the proanthocyanidins (OPCs) chain as being this anti adherence factor. But to date, no one has taken this scientific data out of the laboratory to meet the awaiting populations.

UTI Populations

UTI's are a global epidemic affecting women and men (to a lesser degree) of all ages. The National Institute of Health (NIH) shows statistically that in the U.S. annually over nine (9,000,000) million doctor office visits and over one (1,000,000) million hospitalisations occur involving UTI'S. This figure does not account for the millions of sufferers that self medicate with cranberry juice or other supplements.

Nursing homes report that over 50% of the elderly patients have recurring UTI's. The spinal cord injured population is constantly fighting this problem. The eighteen (18,000,000) million diabetics cannot drink a sweetened cranberry juice. Their doctors with antibiotics to prevent an occurrence of UTI during the final stages of gestation treat pregnant women routinely. Newly sexually active women experience "Honey Moon Cystitis". this same condition was experienced by partners of the "Viagra" males upon activity.

Current Cranberry Ingredients

With these enormous market opportunities, why is the Cranberry Herbal Market ranked 12th to 13th rather than 1st or 2nd? The reason for this less aggressive ranking is that the current products in the market are not working. There origin is from a food not a nutraceutical value. Even cranberry juice cocktail is only 27% single strength juice (7.0 brix) with the balance of the 73% being sugared water and/or other fruit juices.

The beginning Raw Material is a Deactivated Food Product

The most commonly used cranberry juice ingredient is a spray-dried powder made from a commercially available cranberry juice concentrate. This raw material has suffered the indignities of a pre-enzymatic soaking to release the juices from the pectin's. This procedure obviously increases the producer's yield. The pressed pumace is thrown away and the resultant single strength juice is filtered again to collect any of the insoluble material. After all, if this substance got into the juice, it would not be very attractive on the retail shelf. This leaves a thick de-vitalised concentrate, which has lost all its natural Vitamin C content.

Spray Drying Further Diminishes & Dilutes

The concentrate is then frozen to await the commercial juice markets of the spray drying chambers. In order to fixate (change from wet to dry) the cranberry juice concentrate must use a carrier called a drying agent. Most fruit juices will fixate with the standard maltrodextrin blend. Unfortunately the resultant powder has less than 50% cranberry fruit solids (this measurement should be standard assay for this Herb). Other carrier agents bring better results such as magnesium hydroxide. Bio-assays indicate up to 90% cranberry solids with this carrier.

Native Americana medical applications

It's older than Plymouth Rock (1620). The Native Americans gave the cranberries to the Pilgrims on that first Thanksgiving Day. Prior to this event, the Native Indians related legends that the wild cranberry was a gift of the Great Spirit. They used the "IBIMI" (sour red berry) for cranberry poultices to draw venom from arrow wounds. They crushed the fresh berries and mixed it with dried venison and fat to form a preserved food called (PEMMICAN). They also created the first sweet and dried cranberry by adding maple syrup to cranberries and then sun drying this fruit. The Native Americans were way ahead of their time or perhaps more likely we are way behind their time. But we are catching up, slowly.

Colonial medicinal applications

As the settlements turned into towns, cranberries remained popular as a native food and health product. The settlers called the local fruit "CRANEBERRY" because the blossom looked like the crane bird. Documented medical application in the 17th Century included the relief of stomach ailments, liver problems, bowel disorders and cancer. The boiled berry and seal oil was used to reduce the severity of gall bladder attacks. As the shipping trade grew with Europe, cranberries were allocated to the sailors to prevent scurvy on board transatlantic vessels. As the American Societies developed, the use of cranberries was primarily based on the holiday seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Historically, this fruit has served its masters, but its usage today clearly favours its mistresses.

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