This overview highlighted the in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of polysaccharides extracted by ultrasound- and microwave-assisted solvent extraction methods. The polysaccharide fragments with stronger antiproliferation, antitumoral, and anticarcinoma effects can be identified through purification, fractionation, and bio-analytical assessments. Most of the extracted glucan-based polysaccharides in a dose-dependent manner inhibited the growth of human cancer cell types with cell death-associated morphological changes. Glucans, glucogalactans, and pectins without any cytotoxicity on normal cells showed the antitumor potential by the apoptosis induction and the inhibition of their tumorigenesis, metastasis, and transformation. There is a significantly high association among antiproliferative activities, structural features (e.g., molecular weight, monosaccharide compositions, and contents of sulfate, selenium, and uronic acid), and other bio-functionalities (e.g., antiradical and antioxidant) of isolated polysaccharides. The evaluation of structure-activity relationships of antitumor polysaccharides is an intriguing step forward to develop highly potent anticancer pharmaceuticals and foods without any side effects.
Keywords: Anticancer; Glucan; Polysaccharide.
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