Recent advances in buckwheat (Fagopyrum Mill) polysaccharides: extraction and purification, structural characterization, and biological activities.
Buckwheat polysaccharides (BWPs), key bioactive constituents broadly distributed across tissues of Fagopyrum Mill, have received growing attention for their nutritional value and health-promoting functions in functional food research. This review consolidates recent progress in BWP extraction and purification strategies, structural elucidation, bioactivities, and prospective applications. Current preparation approaches include hot-water extraction, enzyme-assisted extraction, ultrasound and microwave-assisted techniques, as well as emerging green processes. BWPs are mainly complex heteropolysaccharides composed of monosaccharides, including glucose, arabinose, xylose, galactose, mannose, and galacturonic acid, with arabinoxylan and pectin-like polysaccharides as representative types. BWPs exert diverse bioactivities, notably antioxidant effects, modulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory actions, anti-tumor potential, and improvements in gut microbiota composition. BWPs hold strong promise for applications in functional foods, nutritional interventions, and biomedical materials. Future studies should prioritize elucidating their mechanism of action, establishing clearer structure-activity relationships, and standardizing extraction processes to support scalable and high-value applications.