Preparation, Structural Characterization, and Biological Activities of Polysaccharides from Malus American Crabapple Fruits

Abstract Malus American crabapple fruits, widely cultivated worldwide, are primarily valued for ornamental purposes.This study investigates the potential biological applications of crude polysaccharides extracted from Malus American crabapple fruits. Using hot water extraction, polysaccharides from Malus American crabapple fruits (MAPs) were isolated and characterized for their monosaccharide composition, molecular weights, and structural features. In vitro assays were performed to assess the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of MAPs. Results showed that MAPs are primarily composed of D-mannose, D-glucosamine, L-rhamnose, D-galacturonic acid, D-glucose, D-galactose, D-xylose, L-arabinose, and L-fucose. At 5 mg·mL−1, MAPs exhibited inhibition rates of 48.75 ± 2.5% and 52.49 ± 1.63% against α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively, and demonstrated significant cholesterol adsorption (71.84%) and inhibition of pancreatic lipase (38.08%). These findings highlight the potential hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties of MAPs, showing their viability for use in functional foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.