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Comprehensive review on Cistanche polysaccharides: Structure, gut microbiota and processing characteristics
Jing Fan1, Yaolei Li2, Hongyu Jin2
1National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China; Institute for Control of Chinese Traditional Medicine and Ethnic Medicine, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, 102629, China.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|May 21, 2026
Summary
Cistanche polysaccharides are key bioactive compounds in traditional medicine. Processing significantly impacts their structure and function, influencing gut microbiota and conferring health benefits like constipation relief.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Microbiology
- Herbal Medicine
Background:
- Cistanche species are traditional medicinal plants with polysaccharides as primary bioactive components.
- Research highlights the interaction between herbal polysaccharides and gut microbiota.
- Systematic reviews on Cistanche polysaccharides, their bioactivities, and processing effects are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advances in Cistanche polysaccharide research, focusing on extraction, characterization, bioactivities, and quality control.
- To emphasize the relationship between Cistanche polysaccharide bioactivities and gut microbiota modulation.
- To explore how processing techniques influence Cistanche polysaccharide properties and health benefits.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on Cistanche polysaccharides.
- Analysis of extraction and structural characterization methods.
- Evaluation of research on bioactivities, gut microbiota interactions, and processing effects.
Main Results:
- Cistanche polysaccharides exhibit diverse bioactivities, including gut microbiota regulation and intestinal barrier enhancement.
- They confer health benefits by modulating gut microbiota and metabolites, aiding conditions like constipation and alcoholic fatty liver.
- Processing techniques alter polysaccharide properties through physical-chemical changes, impacting overall herbal quality.
Conclusions:
- Cistanche polysaccharides possess significant bioactivities modulated by processing, with a strong link to gut microbiota.
- Understanding these interactions is crucial for improving herbal quality, standardizing production, and expanding biomedical applications.
- Further research integrating advanced disciplines can enhance the development and application of Cistanche polysaccharides.
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