{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T20:54:01Z","timestamp":1790888041442,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,1]],"date-time":"2026-02-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769904000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"the National Key R&D Program of China","award":["2024YFD1600800"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2024YFD1600800"]}]},{"name":"Mount Taishan Scholar Young Expert, and Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Pro-gram of Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences","award":["CAAS-ASTIP-Q2022-IFST-08"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CAAS-ASTIP-Q2022-IFST-08"]}]},{"name":"Gannan Zhongzang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd."}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Foods"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Although Codonopsis pilosula (common name: Dangshen) is a widely used medicinal edible herb, but the structural divergence and functional specificity of polysaccharides from its intraspecific varieties remain understudied. Therefore, this study explores the structural characteristics and immunomodulatory activities of polysaccharides from two varieties of Codonopsis pilosula, namely, Codonopsis pilosula Nannf. var. modesta (Nannf.) L.T.Shen and Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf. Crude polysaccharides were extracted via water extraction\u2013ethanol precipitation and purified using DEAE-52 column chromatography to obtain homogeneous fractions WCP (6.444 kDa) and BCP (15.71 kDa). Structural analyses confirmed both to be fructans, but with distinct linkage patterns: WCP contains Fruf-(2\u2192, Glcp-(1\u2192, \u21921)-Fruf-(2\u2192, \u21921,6)-Fruf-(2\u2192 linkages, while BCP additionally harbors \u21926)-Fruf-(2\u2192 linkages. This structural divergence correlates with the observed differences in their physical properties and biological activities. Using zebrafish models, WCP and BCP were found to increase the density of neutrophils and macrophages, while reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1\u03b2, IL-6, and TNF-\u03b1 (p &lt; 0.05 vs. model group). These results support their immunomodulatory potential, providing a scientific basis for developing Codonopsis polysaccharide-based functional food ingredients.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/foods15030495","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]],"date-time":"2026-02-02T15:38:12Z","timestamp":1770046692000},"page":"495","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Structural Characterization and Immunomodulatory Activity of Fructan Polysaccharides from Two Varieties of Codonopsis pilosulae (C. pilosula Nannf. var. modesta and C. pilosula (Franch.) Nannf.)"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Jingjing","family":"Dong","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Food Science and Engineering, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China"},{"name":"Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment on Agro-Products Processing, Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xue","family":"Bai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment on Agro-Products Processing, Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ziyang","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment on Agro-Products Processing, Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xinxin","family":"Ma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment on Agro-Products Processing, Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiaoping","family":"Jin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gannan Zhongzang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Hezuo 746300, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bei","family":"Fan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment on Agro-Products Processing, Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fengzhong","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment on Agro-Products Processing, Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3569-7093","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jing","family":"Sun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Food Science and Engineering, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China"},{"name":"Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment on Agro-Products Processing, Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3345","DOI":"10.1080\/10408347.2023.2242953","article-title":"Insights into genus Codonopsis: From past Achievements to Future Perspectives","volume":"54","author":"Yue","year":"2024","journal-title":"Crit. 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