Re: Dog Rose for the Prevention of Postpartum Urinary Tract Infections
Seifi M, Abbasalizadeh S, Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi S, Khodaie L, Mirghafourvand M. The effect of Rosa (L. Rosa canina) on the incidence of urinary tract infection in the puerperium: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Phytother Res. January 2018;32:76-83. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5950.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs), inflammatory responses of squamous urinary tract tissue to bacteria, are divided into asymptomatic bacteriuria and symptomatic UTIs including cystitis and pyelonephritis. Higher risks of UTIs exist for pregnant and post-partum women, elders, children, and patients with spinal cord injury, catheterization, AIDs or HIV, or underlying urological disorders. Among post-partum women, prevalence of UTIs for 40 days following delivery range from 3-17%. Endogenous or exogenous factors may cause UTIs, with catheterization during Caesarean section (CS), a major exogenous risk. A systematic review reported that restricting unindicated catheterization reduced incidence of UTIs by 53%. The prevalence of CS in Iran is on average three times that of other countries. It has been recommended that all women undergoing CS be given prophylactic antibiotics. Herbal medicines may offer alternatives. Dog rose (Rosa canina, Rosaceae) fresh fruit (rosehip) has about 880 mg/100 mL antioxidant vitamin C and total phenolic content of about 96 GAE/g dry weight. Dog rose also contains several minerals. Its antibacterial activity is mostly attributed to the flavonoid quercetin. Quercetin inhibits bacteria including Escherichia coli, the most common UTI agent. This triple-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (RCT) is the first of the effects of dog rose on incidence of post-partum UTI in women who have undergone CS
Other clinical studies of the effect of vitamin C supplementation on incidence of UTIs have had conflicting results in different populations but most of them, as well as in vitro studies, tend to support this RCT's results. Dog rose fruit powder has also been studied in osteoarthritis and irritable bowel syndrome, both with positive results. Given this RCT's findings, it is likely that administration of dog rose powder can reduce UTIs following CS. Longer studies with more frequent follow-up visits are urged.
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