Medicinal Plant Research 2025, Vol.15, No.4, 178-187 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/mpr 178 Research Insight Open Access Research Insight into Molecular Mechanisms of Angelica sinensis Polysaccharides in Anti-inflammatory Activity Minghui Zhao 1, Keyan Fang 2 1 Tropical Medicinal Plant Research Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China 2 Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding author: keyan.fang@cuixi.org Medicinal Plant Research, 2025, Vol.15, No.4 doi: 10.5376/mpr.2025.15.0019 Received: 10 Jun., 2025 Accepted: 15 Jul., 2025 Published: 08 Aug., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Zhao and Fang, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Zhao M.H., and Fang K.Y., 2025, Research insight into molecular mechanisms of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides in anti-inflammatory activity, Medicinal Plant Research, 15(4): 178-187 (doi: 10.5376/mpr.2025.15.0019) Abstract Angelica sinensis, is a widely used medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine. The polysaccharide components (ASPs) in it are regarded as the main active substances, which have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. This study sorted out the chemical composition and structural characteristics of ASPs, and analyzed their regulatory roles in signaling pathways, like NF-κB, MAPK, JAK/STAT and Nrf2/HO-1. Studies have shown that, ASPs can inhibit pro-inflammatory factors, enhance antioxidant defense, and promote the functions of macrophages, natural killer cells and T/B lymphocytes, thereby maintaining the balance between inflammation and immunity. Preclinical studies generally suggest that, it has high safety and good efficacy, but the evidence from clinical trials is still insufficient, especially in terms of dose standardization and long-term application verification. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of ASPs, in the development of anti-inflammatory drugs and functional foods, and also offers a reference for its future clinical transformation. Keywords A. sinensis polysaccharides (ASPs); Anti-inflammatory mechanism; Immune regulation; Signal pathway; Structure-activity relationship; Functional food 1 Introduction Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, also known as "Female Ginseng", is an medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine, and has a long history of application (Kim et al., 2018; Nai et al., 2021; Shen et al., 2024). In traditional Chinese medicine, A. sinensis is used to treat gynecological diseases (e.g., irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea), cardiovascular diseases (like hypertension, anemia), and serves as an immunomodulator (Hou et al., 2021; Shen et al., 2024). The title of "Female Ginseng", highlights its importance in women's health, but its benefits are not limited to this. It also involves systemic effects, such as hematopoietic function and anti-inflammatory effect (Kim et al., 2018; Nai et al., 2021). The polysaccharides isolated from A. sinensis, are regarded as its main active components, endowing it with diverse pharmacological effects (Hou et al., 2021; Nai et al., 2021; Shen et al., 2024). These macromolecules exhibit properties, like immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and hematopoietic, and their structure-activity relationship, has always been the focus of research (Nai et al., 2021). Inflammation is an important component of the immune response, which helps to eliminate pathogens and repair tissue damage. But, persistent or excessive inflammation is closely associated with the development of various chronic diseases, containing autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic syndrome (Kim et al., 2018; Hou et al., 2020; Xue et al., 2023). Although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and glucocorticoids, are the main drugs for current anti-inflammatory treatment, their long-term use is accompanied by serious side effects, like gastrointestinal damage, immunosuppression and increased cardiovascular risk (Hou et al., 2020; Ren et al., 2025). In contrast, natural polysaccharides, such as A. sinensis polysaccharides, are regarded as promising alternative options for their multi-target mechanisms, low toxicity and potential for long-term application (Hou et al., 2021; Ren et al., 2025).
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