Cranberries found to reduce brain damage after strokes

Researchers have found preliminary evidence that cranberries may reduce brain-cell damage associated with stroke. In lab studies using rat brain cells exposed to simulated stroke conditions, a concentrated cranberry extract reduced the death of brain cells by half in comparison to cells that did not receive the extract, according to the scientists. After placing the neurons in tissue culture, millions of cells were grown and then divided into different treatment groups with varying concentrations of cranberry juice. In related studies using rats, researchers recently demonstrated that blueberries, which are closely related to cranberries and similarly rich in antioxidants, also appear to reduce brain damage associated with stroke.