Cranberry - antibiotic combinations are more effective against bacteria than antibiotics alone , and decrease the development of antimicrobial resistance , according to a study from McGill University . The use of antibiotics in conjunction with proanthocyanidin from cranberries seems to inhibit both selective membrane permeability and multidrug efflux pumps in bacteria , the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance . Prompted by cranberries ' often - reported benefits against urinary tract infections , the study 's lead engineer Nathalie Bertrand set out to investigate how pathogenic bacteria would be affected . “These are really exciting results,” added coauthor Éric Déziel, a professor of microbiology at INRS (Institut national de la recherche scientifique) in Montreal. The introduction of cranberry increased bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics while also decreasing the development of antimicrobial resistance to the antibiotics over time .
Cranberry - antibiotic combinations are more effective against bacteria than antibiotics alone , and decrease the development of antimicrobial resistance , according to a study from McGill University . The use of antibiotics in conjunction with proanthocyanidin from cranberries seems to inhibit both selective membrane permeability and multidrug efflux pumps in bacteria , the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance . Prompted by cranberries ' often - reported benefits against urinary tract infections , the study 's lead engineer Nathalie Bertrand set out to investigate how pathogenic bacteria would be affected . The introduction of cranberry increased bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics while also decreasing the development of antimicrobial resistance to the antibiotics over time .