Extraction, structural characteristics, bioactivities, structural-activity relationships, and application prospects of the polysaccharides from Ophiopogon japonicus: A review.

Ophiopogon japonicus (Linn. f.) Ker-Gawl., as well-known homology plant of medicine and food, has the function of replenishing the Nourishing Yin Sheng Jin, moistening lungs, and clearing heart in traditional Chinese medicine. Ophiopogon japonicus polysaccharides (OJPs), the typical and important pharmacologically active macromolecules of this plant, are mainly composed of glucose (Glc) and fructose (Fru) with a molecular weight ranging from 2.48 to 325 kDa, and exhibit diverse biological activities. such as anti-aging, anti-oxidation, liver protection, anti-inflammatory, immune activity, lowering blood sugar, improving intestinal flora, regulating cardiomyocytes, regulating submandibular gland inflammatory microenvironment, inhibiting leptin, anti-allergy and so on. Due to the distinctive bioactivity of OJPs, the research on OJPs is booming. Although a series of OJPs have been isolated and characterized, the chemical structure, mechanism, and structure-activity relationships are unclear and need further study. Here, the purpose of the present review is to provide comprehensively and systematically reorganized information in the extraction, purification, Structural features, biological activities, underlying mechanisms, structure-activity relationships, safety concerns, and applications of OJPs. This article helps to extend the application potential for OJPs in both food, Cosmetics, multifunctional biomaterial, medicine and health products.