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A new treatment approach for tackling urinary tract infection has been developed by researchers at the University of Southampton testing a treatment with a long established history in herbal practice.

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most common female conditions treated by general practitioners, and the majority of patients are prescribed antibiotics. With increased antimicrobial resistance to antibiotics, and what is a self-limiting condition, alternative treatment strategies are being investigated to alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms. The herbal medicinal product (HMP) Arctostaphylos uva-ursi has a traditional use for treating UTI, but lacks rigorous clinical investigation. Its efficacy is now being tested in a doubleblind randomised controlled trial.

The School funded ATAFUTI study is supporting the trial through quality control analysis, antimicrobial testing of the HMP, and investigation into its mode of action. The clinical trial was developed to find out if either Bearberries or Ibuprofen can be used during a period of delayed antibiotic prescription to provide symptom relief. 

Press release from University of Southampton