Difficulties in research of Chinese medicine polysaccharides

Polysaccharides from Chinese medicines are attracting increasing attention to their wide range of valuable biological activities. As these polysaccharides are mostly from edible materials, their safety can be greatly ensured. Therefore, the Chinese medicine polysaccharides have been the focus of research and development of new drugs and health products. However, there are rarely successful cases. Here, based on the authors' own research experience, the difficulties and challenges in chemical analysis and mechanism study of Chinese medicine polysaccharides are discussed, in the hope of eliciting more innovative ideas and solutions.