Native Americans have used cranberry as medicine for urinary infections for centuries, but cranberry may be beneficial for your lungs, according to Medline Plus. Cranberry could have a protective effect against influenza, a virus that affects the lungs; it may also decrease inflammation. Talk to your doctor if you're having difficulties with your lungs and before you use cranberry as an alternative medicine.
Influenza
Influenza -- more commonly called the flu -- is an infection that affects the lungs and airways. The flu can cause cough, runny nose, fever, body aches and headache. Influenza type A causes 95 percent of flu cases, but you can also get the flu from type B. Late fall and winter are common times for outbreaks of the flu. A vaccination might help prevent the flu; once someone is infected, it might help them to rest, take pain relievers, decongestants and drink fluids.
Nondialyzable Material
Cranberry juice may help protect your lungs from influenza. A study published in the "Antiviral Research" journal in April 2005 found that a substance in cranberry juice may stop the influenza virus from sticking to host cells; this action prevents infection of the flu. The substance in cranberry juice is called nondialyzable material, or NDM, which is a heavy-weighted molecule. NDM prevented adhesion of influenza type A and type B in the study and therefore potentially offers protection from both types of the virus.
Women
The benefits of cranberry may only work for women, said Professor Itzhak Ofek in an article on the Medical News Today website published in January 2008. Ofek is a researcher at Tel Aviv University. The NDM in cranberries appears to coat certain surfaces in the body, thereby prohibiting infections yet without affecting helpful bacteria. NDM is the substance believed to inhibit bacteria from sticking to the walls of women's bladders. Unfortunately, Ofek says that cranberry appears to be female-oriented in its protective effect, but this is not conclusive. He recommends that men and women drink two glasses of cranberry juice daily.
Inflammation
Cranberry may also be beneficial for lung inflammation. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that cranberry has anti-inflammatory effects. Cranberry may be helpful specifically for pleurisy, which is inflammation of the lining around the lungs. According to Medline Plus, there is still insufficient evidence that cranberry is beneficial for pleurisy, but it may help. Cranberry may also be beneficial for cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, skin healing and other conditions if taken regularly; more research is needed.
Side Effects
Cranberry juice and extracts are generally safe, but there are potential side effects. Diarrhea and upset stomach are possible if you drink too much cranberry juice. You may also increase your risk of developing kidney stones if you drink more than one liter daily of cranberry juice over time, according to Medline Plus. Cranberry contains significant amounts of a chemical called oxalate, which -- along with calcium -- is the main substance in kidney stones. If you're allergic to aspirin, don't drink a lot of cranberry juice because it contains salicylic acid, which is similar to aspirin.
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