Plant polysaccharides: sources, structures, and antidiabetic effects

Diabetes mellitus (DM), a serious metabolic disease, severely affects people's health and life quality worldwide. Plants polysaccharides have been demonstrated to reduce the risks of DM. Currently, the hypoglycemic effects of plant polysaccharides have been studied through in vitro and in vivo experiments, and the beneficial influence of plant polysaccharides in treating DM needs to be validated by additional human clinical trials. Herein, the source, properties, and structure–function relationships are focused with a highlight of the results from clinical trials. The antidiabetic mechanisms of plant polysaccharides are summarized. Nevertheless, plant polysaccharides are promising food components with great potential in alleviating DM, and this review will facilitate a better understanding of DM treatment with polysaccharides.