In Reply to: Raspberry cordial in New Zealand posted by paulinei on Friday, 7. March 2008 at 08:27 Bali Time:
I did a search on the internet and found this article.
I also heard something a while ago to the effect of 'ANCHOR' brand 25% rasberry cordial contains an ingredient which combats stomach problems. I am not sure if it is in the 25% fruit juice which Anchor has contained in it's cordial or another ingredient.
Next time I go to Bali, I will try ANCHOR rasberry cordial and TRAVELAN. I'll keep you posted in JBR when I return in November.
Article...
Raspberry fruit juice cordial can kill the virulent bacteria that causes outbreaks of gastroenteritis, research shows. Experiments with pure raspberry juice and commercial cordials at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga have shown that a folk remedy commonly used by livestock owners has scientific validity, Dr Heather Cavanagh said.
Dr Cavanagh and colleague Dr Jenny Wilkinson from the school of biomedical sciences have found that a dash of concentrated raspberry juice kills E. Coli, salmonella, mycobacterium and staphylococci among other bugs. "We've looked at raspberry juice and raspberry cordial with at least 25 per cent juice and they both work very well," Dr Cavanagh told AAP.
"Raspberry-flavoured cordials do not have the same effect, and when we tried the juice on fungus it just grew better, probably due to the sugars."
Dr Cavanagh, who hails from Scotland, was startled to find that Australian cattle and pig farmers routinely use raspberry cordial to prevent gastric outbreaks in their animals, as well as recommending it for people.
"Apparently farmers in the Riverina when their cows start to develop gastroenteritis, instead of calling the vet they just tip a couple of litres of raspberry cordial into the trough," she said.
"I also had a call from a pig farmer who claims the mortality in his piglets dropped from 40 per cent to zero by using cordial."
The Budgerigar Council of Victoria recommends on its website a one in 10 dilution of raspberry cordial to prevent infection in breeding stock.
Dr Cavanagh, who is researching the medicinal properties of a range of herbal remedies, has not yet identified the active antimicrobial ingredient of raspberry juice.
Her research shows it's either not present or not potent in the leaves of the raspberry bush, traditionally taken as tea for a range of medical complaints, including diarrhoea in children.
Salmonella and other bacterial infections survive well in water, contributing to the rapid spread of gastroenteritis in communities such as schools and childcare centres, and being a major problem in developing countries.
They are not always treated with antibiotics but resolve with high fluid intake.
"What we've shown in our in-vitro research only applies to prevention, not cure," Dr Cavanagh said.
"But I have been approached today by someone who wants to do a clinical trial in India and if we do that we may be able to show that it is a treatment as well."
Dr Cavanagh said the bacteriological evidence so far suggested that a 35 per cent pure juice cordial at up to a 1:10 dilution may aid in preventing transmission of gastric bugs through contaminated water.
AAP
By Rada Rouse
Saturday, March 24, 2001