Abstract Polysaccharides are a class of important polymers and play pivotal roles in many life processes. In recent years, polysaccharides have attracted much attention in the field of biochemistry and pharmacology. They possess a variety of biological activities, including anti-tumor, immune regulation, anti-oxidant and anti-virus, anti-lipid and anti-aging activities. They can be widely used in multifarious fields, including food, cosmetic, textile, pharmaceutical industries and so on. In this paper, the biological activities of the polysaccharides are investigated to promote their potential applications for healthcare.
Keywords Polysaccharides; biological activity; immunomodulatory activity; antitumor activity; antioxidant activity.