Recent progress in the polysaccharides from okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.): Preparation methods, structural...

Abelmoschus esculentus L. (okra), as a medicine-food homology plant, has a long history of both medicinal and dietary use. Okra is rich in different types of compounds, such as flavonoids, proteins, phenolic acids, vitamins, and polysaccharides. There is increasing evidence that okra polysaccharides (OPs) are one of the major bioactive macromolecules and exhibit diverse biological activities in vitro and in vivo, including immunomodulatory, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activities, etc. Although OPs exhibit highly promising potential, current research and review efforts remain limited, which hinders their comprehensive development and practical applications. Therefore, this review systematically summarizes recent advances in OPs research, including extraction and purification methods, structural characteristics, biological activities, structure-activity relationship, and potential applications, and further expounds the potential applications of OPs in various fields in combination with bibliometrics and related patents. Overall, this work will enhance the understanding of OPs and provide a scientific foundation as well as a practical reference for their more scientific and rational applications.