Extraction, Rheological, and Physicochemical Properties of Water-Soluble Polysaccharides with Antioxidant Capacity from Penthorum chinense Pursh

This study aimed to isolate polysaccharides from Penthorum chinense Pursh and evaluate their rheological characteristics, physicochemical properties, and antioxidant activity. The optimal conditions for the maximal extraction yield of Penthorum chinense Pursh polysaccharides (4.05 ± 0.12%) were determined by employing a single-factor test and response surface methodology which included an extraction time of 3 h, a liquid–solid ratio of 20 mL/g, and three separate extraction times. The rheological experiments showcased that the P. chinense polysaccharides exhibited typical shear-thinning behavior, with their apparent viscosity being influenced by various parameters such as concentration, pH, temperature, salt content, and freeze–thaw. The purified polysaccharides (PCP-100), having an average molecular weight of 1.46 × 10(6) Da, mainly consisted of glucose (18.99%), arabinose (22.87%), galactose (26.72%), and galacturonic acid (21.89%). Furthermore, the PCP-100 exhibited high thermal stability and displayed an irregular sheet-like morphology. Its superior reducing power and free radical scavenging ability implied its significant antioxidant activity in vitro. Collectively, these findings provide important insights for the future application of P. chinense polysaccharides in the food industry.