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Cellulose and Pectic Polysaccharides

Every plant cell has a cell wall that protects the cell, provides structural support, and gives the cell shape. Cellulose, the main structural component of the plant cell wall, makes up over 30% of plant matter. It is the most abundant organic compound on earth.  Cellulose is an unbranched polysaccharide composed of linear chains of glucose molecules linked by β (1→4) glycosidic bonds.
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Comparative Study on the Polysaccharide Contents and Antioxidant Activities of Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. sinensis and Hippophae gyantsensis
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Maca polysaccharides: structural diversity, biological activities, and structure-activity relationships.

Xue-Fang Zhao1,2, Zhou-Wei Wu2, Xiao-Qiu Liu3

  • 1School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang District, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.

Natural Products and Bioprospecting
|July 6, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Maca polysaccharides, derived from the Peruvian plant Lepidium meyenii, show diverse bioactivities. Their structure, including molecular weight and composition, dictates functions like immunomodulation, with medium-weight fractions proving most effective.

Keywords:
Biological activityMaca polysaccharidesStructural characterizationStructure–activity relationship

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Microarray Polymer Profiling (MAPP) for High-Throughput Glycan Analysis
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Comparative Study on the Polysaccharide Contents and Antioxidant Activities of Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. sinensis and Hippophae gyantsensis
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Microarray Polymer Profiling (MAPP) for High-Throughput Glycan Analysis
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Microarray Polymer Profiling (MAPP) for High-Throughput Glycan Analysis

Published on: September 29, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Plant biochemistry and functional food science.
  • Exploration of bioactive compounds from natural sources.

Background:

  • Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) is a cruciferous crop from the Peruvian Andes.
  • Its hypocotyl contains diverse polysaccharides with immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-fatigue, and hepatoprotective properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review recent advances in maca polysaccharide extraction, purification, and structural characterization.
  • To analyze the structure-activity relationships of maca polysaccharides.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on maca polysaccharide extraction and purification.
  • Structural characterization including monosaccharide composition, glycosidic linkage analysis, and molecular weight determination.
  • Analysis of biological activities in relation to structural features.

Main Results:

  • Five major structural types of maca polysaccharides identified: α-glucans, arabinogalactans, homogalacturonans, rhamnogalacturonans, and mannose-containing heteropolysaccharides.
  • Molecular weights range from 3.0 to 1951.0 kDa.
  • Medium-molecular-weight fractions (200.0-400.0 kDa) show optimal immunomodulatory activity; specific structures and triple-helix conformations enhance immune recognition.

Conclusions:

  • Biological functions of maca polysaccharides are determined by molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, glycosidic linkages, and conformation.
  • Further research is needed to address structural heterogeneity, mechanistic understanding, and clinical validation.
  • This review provides a framework for developing maca polysaccharides as functional food ingredients.