Potential of natural source polysaccharides for the treatment of anemia: A review

Anemia is a common disease threatening human health. Existing therapeutic drugs often come with adverse reactions or issues such as insufficient bioavailability. Natural source polysaccharides (NSPs) have garnered increasing attention for their potential in anemia intervention due to their superior biological activity, biocompatibility, and safety profile. This review systematically elucidates the pharmacological activities, molecular mechanisms, and anemia-specific pathways of NSPs in treating iron deficiency anemia, anemia of inflammation, aplastic anemia, cancer-related anemia, hemorrhagic anemia, and thalassemia. Concurrently, this study analyzes the prospects and limitations for clinical translation regarding pharmacokinetics, formulation stability, regulatory hurdles, dose safety, and structure-activity relationships, while proposing future research directions. This research provides novel insights and scientific rationale for developing NSP-based anti-anemia therapeutics.