Cranberry, known for its ability to inhibit bacterial infections, also inhibits viruses

Cranberry fruit has a well known ability to protect at risk people from urinary tract infections. New research shows it may also block viruses. Researchers from St. Francis College, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and NYU report that cranberry juice neutralized the viruses it was tested on; the bacteriophage viruses T2 and T4, and the simian rotavirus SA-11. Cranberry strongly inhibited the infectivity of the T2 and T4 virus and at higher concentrations it prevented the simian rotavirus from attaching to cells. The study is published in the current issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.