Review of polysaccharides from Elaeagnus angustifolia: Extraction, purification, nutritional values, structural...

Polysaccharides from Elaeagnus angustifolia L. (E. angustifolia) exhibit diverse biological activities, including antioxidant, anticancer, and immunomodulatory effects, garnering significant research interest. However, challenges such as low extraction efficiency and unclear structure-activity relationships hinder their large-scale application. This review systematically summarizes recent advances, focusing on three key areas. Modern extraction techniques show superior efficiency and cost-effectiveness for industrial-scale production compared to traditional hot-water extraction. Analysis linking structural characteristics to biological activities provide crucial insights into their structure-activity relationships. Mechanistic evidence indicates these polysaccharides can regulate enzyme activities, key signaling pathways such as NF-κB and MAPK, and gene expression, thereby improving metabolic disorders and modulating immune responses. Current findings underscore their potential in functional foods and pharmaceuticals. This review aims to promote the development of E. angustifolia polysaccharides with balanced extraction yield and biological activity, offering guidance for sustainable utilization and future research.