New Database Aids Researchers in Understanding Polysaccharide Structure-Function Relationship

Researchers from Wuhan Polytechnic University have created a comprehensive online database, DoLPHiN, to help scientists explore the relationships between the structure and health functions of polysaccharides. The database contains over 23,000 published literatures and features 5,085 entries of polysaccharides, allowing users to retrieve information by various criteria such as extracted species, name, and molecular weight range. This database aims to facilitate researchers in related areas to access the structure and demonstrated function information of polysaccharides, facilitating a deeper understanding of their multifaceted effects on health.

Key Takeaways:

• DoLPHiN is an online database that contains over 23,000 published literatures and 5,085 entries of polysaccharides, providing a comprehensive resource for researchers.
• The database allows users to retrieve information by various criteria such as extracted species, name, and molecular weight range.
• The database aims to facilitate researchers in related areas to access the structure and demonstrated function information of polysaccharides.
• Polysaccharides have multifaceted effects on health, including anti-oxidant, immunoregulation, and metabolic modification.
• The structure features of polysaccharides, including monomer composition, glycosidic bond type, and molecular weight, are the foundation of their health functions.
• The database was created to address the lack of knowledge about the structure-function relationship of polysaccharides, with existing knowledge remaining fragmented.
• Researchers Yongling Cao, Yefu Xin, Shuheng Yang, Junhao Hu, Miao Tian, Jian Dai, Jing Shi, Bingcong Yu, Nike Gu, Xiangxu Hu, Rui Zhu, Qianni Duan, Yu Tian, and Hualin Wang were involved in the creation of the database, with support from the Wuhan Polytechnic University.

Statistics:

• The database contains over 23,000 published literatures and 5,085 entries of polysaccharides.
• The database features 6 criteria for retrieving information: extracted species, name, monomer composition, molecular weight range, glycosidic bond linkage, and health function.
• The database allows users to browse detailed information, including chain structure, monomers composition, anti-oxidant activity, and other health effects.

Sources:

• DoLPHiN: a proposed architecture and technical implementation of a database of structural and functional properties of natural polysaccharides with health benefits. Food Chemistry, 2025;495:146534.
• NewsRx. New Information Technology Data Have Been Reported by Researchers at Wuhan Polytechnic University (DoLPHiN: a proposed architecture and technical implementation of a database of structural and functional properties of natural polysaccharides ...). Information Technology Newsweekly. October 21, 2025; p 498.