polysaccharide

Overview

Polysaccharides are high-molecular-weight carbohydrates composed of long chains of monosaccharide units linked by glycosidic bonds. They are widespread in plants, fungi, algae, and microorganisms, where they serve structural, storage, and protective functions. In biomedical and food-science research, polysaccharides are of interest because their physicochemical properties—such as solubility, viscosity, gelation, emulsification, and ability to form complexes—can influence biological activity and formulation behavior.

In recent studies, polysaccharides have been investigated as bioactive constituents with potential roles in immunomodulation, anti-inflammatory effects, antioxidant activity, prebiotic fermentation, wound-healing support, and drug delivery. Their biological effects are often linked to structural features such as monosaccharide composition, branching, molecular size, and secondary structure. They are also widely used as functional materials in polysaccharide-based wall systems, biodegradable films, and targeted delivery platforms, sometimes in combination with pectin, Hyaluronan sodium, apigenin, cannabidiol, curcumin, or protein components such as collagen peptides.

Focus of Latest Publications

Recent publications have examined polysaccharides from several botanical sources, including Chrysanthemum indicum, Lycium barbarum, Rosa roxburghii, Platycodon grandiflorum, Prunella vulgaris, and sea buckthorn pomace. One study reported ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent extraction of polysaccharides from these plants, with optimized yields and purities differing by source; for example, Platycodon grandiflorum polysaccharides achieved the highest reported purity among the four compared samples. This work reflects ongoing interest in improving extraction efficiency and product quality for plant polysaccharides intended for bioactivity evaluation.

Several studies focused on biological activity. A novel pectic polysaccharide from Prunella vulgaris was investigated for therapeutic potential in alcoholic liver injury, with the authors emphasizing that liver-related activity is closely tied to specific structural features of the polysaccharide. Another study on polysaccharide fractions from Polygoni cuspidati rhizoma et radix decoction reported promotion of human gingival fibroblast proliferation, supporting relevance to oral wound healing. In a separate anti-inflammatory line of research, a polysaccharide-glycoprotein complex from Blaps rynchopetera was examined for TLR4-antagonizing activity and NF-κB-mediated anti-inflammation, highlighting polysaccharides as potential modulators of innate immune signaling.

Polysaccharides were also studied in food and formulation contexts. One paper examined their contribution to the foaming and emulsifying properties of aquafaba, indicating that solubilized carbohydrates from polysaccharide-rich matrices can influence colloidal behavior and can be modulated by salts during cooking. Another study assessed polysaccharide effects on the colloidal behavior and sweetness perception of thaumatin, using pectin, λ-carrageenan, and sodium alginate as representative polysaccharides. In packaging research, carboxymethylcellulose-based multilayer films were constructed with proteins such as casein and zein, with tannic acid used as a cross-linker, showing how polysaccharides can serve as structural components in biodegradable materials.

Polysaccharides were also incorporated into delivery systems. A natural polysaccharide-modified oral pH-sensitive ZIF-8 system was developed for targeted release of lutein liposomes in the gastrointestinal tract, where the polysaccharides acted as a “smart switch” through ligand interactions with zinc ions to improve stability and trigger release under gastrointestinal conditions. Another multifunctional nanoparticle platform combined polysaccharide for immunomodulation, apigenin for cardiovascular protection, and cannabidiol for neuroprotection in ischemic stroke research, illustrating the use of polysaccharide matrices in multimodal therapeutic design. Related work on polysaccharide-based wall materials showed that adding hyaluronic acid and fish collagen peptides could transform passive polysaccharide shells into bioactive delivery systems.

Digestive and microbiome-related effects were also prominent. Polysaccharides from sea buckthorn pomace were reported to undergo intestinal fermentation and exert prebiotic effects, and a review on inflammatory bowel disease discussed how medicinal and edible plants may regulate the microbiota-metabolite-immune axis through bioactive constituents including polysaccharides, curcumin, and geniposide. Together, these studies reinforce the view that polysaccharides are not a single uniform entity but a diverse class of molecules whose biological and technological roles depend on source, extraction method, and structural characteristics.

Key Publications

• Jul Structural characterization and bioactivity evaluation of polysaccharides from Chrysanthemum indicum, Lycium barbarum, Rosa roxburghii, and Platycodon grandiflorum extracted by ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvents. (International journal of biological macromolecules, 2026, PMID 42250710): "Under optimized conditions, Platycodon grandiflorum (PGP), Chrysanthemum indicum (CIP), Rosa roxburghii (RRP) and Lycium barbarum (LBP) polysaccharides achieved yields of 17.65%, 9.75%, 14.68%, 15.89% and purities of 95.91%, 64.77%, 60.08%, 74.55%, respectively."
• Jul A novel pectic polysaccharide from Prunella vulgaris L. and its therapeutic potential in alleviating alcoholic liver injury by regulating lipid metabolism and inflammation. (International journal of biological macromolecules, 2026, PMID 42259413): "While its polysaccharides are known for diverse bioactivities, their potential in treating liver diseases remains closely linked to their specific structural features."
• Jul Enhancing oil powder functionality: Synergistic effects of hyaluronic acid and fish collagen peptides in polysaccharide-based wall materials. (Food chemistry, 2026, PMID 42001707): "This study pioneers a novel strategy to transform passive polysaccharide walls into bioactive delivery systems by integrating hyaluronic acid (HA, 300 kDa) and fish collagen peptides (CP) into polysaccharide matrices (β-cyclodextrin [CD], chitosan [CT], maltodextrin [MD])."
• Jun Interfacial Adhesion in Multilayered Biopolymer Films Measured by Colloidal-Probe Atomic Force Microscopy─Toward Biodegradable Packaging. (Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids, 2026, PMID 42244204): "The films were constructed from polysaccharides, specifically carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and proteins, casein and zein, assembled with and without tannic acid (TA) as a cross-linker."
• Jun Polysaccharide fractions from Polygoni cuspidati rhizoma et radix decoction promote human gingival fibroblast proliferation relevant to oral wound healing. (Journal of ethnopharmacology, 2026, PMID 41771386): "While polyphenolic and anthraquinone constituents have been extensively studied, the role of polysaccharides in aqueous decoctions remains insufficiently understood."
• Jun Secretory structures in Mandevilla venulosa (Müll.Arg.) Woodson (Apocynaceae): morphoanatomy and histochemical characterization. (Die Naturwissenschaften, 2026, PMID 42223501): "The secretion contains polysaccharides, mucilage, pectins, and proteins, compounds associated with protection against desiccation and microbial activity."
• Jun The contribution of polysaccharides to the foaming and emulsifying properties of aquafaba. (Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.), 2026, PMID 41895942): "However, the solubilization of carbohydrates from these polysaccharide-rich matrices may also contribute to these functionalities, which can be modulated by salts during cooking."
• May TLR4-antagonizing bioactive components from Blaps rynchopetera polysaccharide-glycoprotein complex: Biolayer interferometry-mass spectrometry identification and NF-κB-mediated anti-inflammation. (Journal of ethnopharmacology, 2026, PMID 41643872): "However, the bioactive components underpinning its anti-inflammatory properties, particularly its polysaccharides, remain poorly investigated."
• May Multifunctional Cannabidiol-Loaded Nanoparticles Based on Herbal-Derived Bioactive Materials Provide Enhanced Neuroprotection against Ischemic Stroke. (Molecular pharmaceutics, 2026, PMID 42003696): "This nanoformulation (designated as CBDNPs) integrates polysaccharide for immunomodulation, apigenin for cardiovascular protection, and CBD for neuroprotection into a unified therapeutic strategy for the treatment of ischemic stroke."
• May Natural polysaccharide-modified oral pH-sensitive ZIF-8 delivery system for targeted release of lutein liposomes in the gastrointestinal tract. (Food chemistry, 2026, PMID 41795523): "The polysaccharides formed a "smart switch" via ligand bonds with zinc ions, enhancing stability and enabling targeted release under gastrointestinal conditions."