Targeting irritable bowel syndrome pathophysiology with sweet potato polysaccharides

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) afflicts about 11% of global population with no radical cure available yet. Plant-derived polysaccharides have emerged as safer, potent natural agents with multifunctional bioactivities. However, reports on the potential of sweet potato polysaccharides (SPPs) in the context of IBS remain scarce. This mini review is the first to explore SPPs as promising bioactive candidates against IBS. SPPs exhibit prebiotic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, which may be particularly beneficial for IBS patients, given that the condition is characterized by gut dysbiosis, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress. The review begins by outlining the pathophysiology of IBS, followed by an overview of SPPs, their bioactivities relevant to IBS, and the extraction, purification, and characterization techniques used to analyze these polysaccharides.