Recent developments in stigma maydis polysaccharides: Isolation, structural characteristics, biological activities and industrial application

Stigma maydis, an ingredient of pharmaceuticals and healthy foods, has a long history of usage in China and some occidental countries. Polysaccharide (SMP) is supposed to be one of the major bioactive compounds in stigma maydis, which possesses immune-enhancement, antitumor, antioxidant, anti-fatigue, diuretic, liver protection, antihyperglycaemic and hypolipidemic activities. In this review, the current advancements on extraction, purification, structural characteristics and biological activities of polysaccharides were summarized. Their biological activities were introduced on the basis of vivo experiments, and some possible mechanisms were listed. Furthermore, industrial application of SMPs were reviewed and discussed. New perspectives for the future work of stigma maydis polysaccharide were also proposed.