Advances in immunomodulatory effects and mechanisms of <i>Dendrobium officinale</i> polysaccharides

Abstract Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP), a significant active ingredient extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Dendrobium officinale , has been demonstrated to possess considerable potential in regulating the immune function of the body. The present study systematically investigates the structure–activity relationship of DOP and its underlying multilevel immunoregulatory mechanisms. It has been found that DOP not only promotes the function of immune organs such as bone marrow, thymus, and spleen but also enhances both the phagocytic activity of macrophages and cytokine secretion. Concurrently, DOP has been demonstrated to stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of T/B lymphocytes and antibody production, enhance natural killer (NK) cell activity, and promote the maturation and antigen presentation of dendritic cells (DCs). In addition, DOP has demonstrated regulatory potential in immune‐related disease models, such as diabetes, intestinal inflammation, Sjögren's syndrome, neuroinflammation, and epilepsy. The goal of this study is to provide a comprehensive summary of the research progress on the immunomodulatory effects and mechanisms of DOP, thereby offering a valuable theoretical foundation for related fields.