Abstract: Millettia speciosa Champ. (MS) is a traditional medicinal and edible plant rich in various bioactive constituents with polysaccharides as the major ones. These polysaccharides have become a research hotspot due to their impressive biological activities, encompassing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and immunomodulatory effects. This review summarizes the major bioactive components of MS, focusing on the purification, structural characteristics and bioactivities of its polysaccharides, and further explores their potential functions. Although some progress has been made in the study of the bioactivities of MS polysaccharides, current research remains at the stage of efficacy validation, with the underlying mechanisms being underexplored. Additionally, to date, studies on the structure of MS polysaccharides have addressed only a few key characteristic fragments. Future research efforts should concentrate on the development of novel methods for the structural analysis of polysaccharides and the elucidation of the structure-function relationships of MS polysaccharides, and more in-depth research on functional foods should be conducted to facilitate their application in the health industry.

Key words: Millettia speciosa Champ.; polysaccharide; biological activity; structural characteristics