| Summary: | <i>Lonicera japonica</i> Thunb. is a widely distributed plant with ornamental, economic, edible, and medicinal values. <i>L. japonica</i> is a phytoantibiotic with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and a potent therapeutic effect on various infectious diseases. The anti-diabetic, anti-Alzheimer’s disease, anti-depression, antioxidative, immunoregulatory, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-gout, and anti-alcohol-addiction effects of <i>L. japonica</i> can also be explained by bioactive polysaccharides isolated from this plant. Several researchers have determined the molecular weight, chemical structure, and monosaccharide composition and ratio of <i>L. japonica</i> polysaccharides by water extraction and alcohol precipitation, enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE) and chromatography. This article searched in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Flora of China, Web of Science, PubMed, and CNKI databases within the last 12 years, using “<i>Lonicera. japonica</i> polysaccharides”, “<i>Lonicera. japonica</i> Thunb. polysaccharides”, and “Honeysuckle polysaccharides” as the key word, systematically reviewed the extraction and purification methods, structural characteristics, structure-activity relationship, and health benefits of <i>L. japonica</i> polysaccharides to provide insights for future studies. Further, we elaborated on the potential applications of <i>L. japonica</i> polysaccharides in the food, medicine, and daily chemical industry, such as using <i>L. japonica</i> as raw material to make lozenges, soy sauce and toothpaste, etc. This review will be a useful reference for the further optimization of functional products developed from <i>L. japonica</i> polysaccharides.
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