Research progress on structural characteristics and biological activity of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides
Polygonatum sibiricum is a traditional Chinese medicine with medicinal and edible properties. The 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia specifies Polygonatum sibiricum Delar ex Redoute、 Polygonatum kingianum Coll The dried rhizomes of et Hemsl and Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua are authentic Polygonatum sibiricum. It is usually harvested in spring and autumn, with the roots removed, washed, and then slightly blanched or steamed in boiling water until fully penetrated, and then dried. According to their different characteristics, they can also be divided into “Da Huang Jing”, “Ji Tou Huang Jing”, and “Jiang type Huang Jing”. Huangjing was first recorded in the “Record of Famous Doctors” and has the effects of nourishing qi and yin, strengthening the spleen, moistening the lungs, and benefiting the kidneys. It is commonly used in clinical practice to treat diseases such as spleen and stomach weakness, fatigue, dry mouth and insufficient food, lung deficiency and cough, insufficient essence and blood, internal heat and thirst. Modern pharmacological research has shown that Polygonatum sibiricum has a wide range of biological activities and can be used for the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Huangjing contains various chemical components, mainly including polysaccharides, alkaloids, steroidal saponins, amino acids, etc. Among them, polygonatum polysaccharide is considered to be one of the most important active compounds in polygonatum, with a variety of biological activities such as antioxidant, immune regulation, anti-tumor, anti osteoporosis, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and anti atherosclerosis.

This article summarizes the research on Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides at home and abroad in recent years, and reviews the structural characteristics, biological activity, and mechanism of action of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides. The aim is to provide theoretical references for the in-depth research and development of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides.

Huangjing has a long history of medicinal use, with complex chemical components and diverse biological activities. At the same time, polygonatum polysaccharide, as the most important active ingredient in polygonatum, has shown great application potential in antioxidant, immune regulation, anti-tumor, anti osteoporosis, anti diabetes and its complications, blood lipid reduction and anti atherosclerosis, and has become a hot spot in the development and application of polygonatum. In recent years, great progress has been made in the research of Huangjing polysaccharides, but there are still some issues that cannot be ignored. Firstly, polysaccharides obtained from different raw materials and extraction and purification methods can lead to differences in content, physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, and biological activity. Therefore, it is of great significance to establish standards for the cultivation of Polygonatum sibiricum and the extraction of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides, and develop simple and reliable quality control methods. Secondly, there is currently a lack of research on structure-activity relationships, and there are still bottlenecks in the study of monomeric compounds and their mechanisms of action. The molecular mechanisms of many target molecules are still unclear. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct in-depth research on the exact mechanism and structure-activity relationship of its biological activity. At the same time, further research should be conducted on the toxicity and potential risks of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides, providing a solid scientific foundation and theoretical guidance for the synthesis of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide derivatives with higher biological activity and fewer toxic side effects. Finally, current research on Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides mostly remains at the cellular and animal levels, lacking clinical trials. Although the reported biological activities of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides are abundant, their clinical and commercial applications are very limited; Therefore, the development of functional foods and pharmaceutical products should be encouraged, and safety and scientific clinical trials should be actively conducted, so that more people can benefit from the various biological activities of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides.