Extraction techniques, structural features and biological functions of Hippophae rhamnoides polysaccharides: A review

Hippophae rhamnoides L. (sea buckthorn) is a type of traditional Chinese medicine with a long history of clinical application. It is used in the improvement and treatment of various diseases as medicine and food to strengthen the stomach and digestion, relieving cough and resolving phlegm, promoting blood circulation, and resolving blood stasis in traditional Chinese medicine. Emerging evidence has shown that H. rhamnoides polysaccharides (HRPs) are vital bioactive macromolecules responsible for its various health benefits. HRPs possess the huge potential to develop a drug improving or treating different diseases. In this review, we comprehensively and systematically summarize the recent information on extraction and purification methods, structural features, biological activities, structure-activity relationships, and potential industry applications of HRPs and further highlight the therapeutic potential and sanitarian functions of HRPs in the fields of therapeutic agents and functional food development. Additionally, this paper also lists a variety of biological activities of HRPs in vitro and in vivo roundly. Finally, this paper also discusses the structure-activity relationships and potential applications of HRPs. Overall, this work will help to have a better in-depth understanding of HRPs and provide a scientific basis and direct reference for more scientific and rational applications.