Abstract:Plant polysaccharides serve as natural biomacromolecules with significant biological activities （e.g.，antioxidant，antitumor，and immunomodulatory effects）. Their efficient extraction and functional development are current research hotspots. In this paper，the principles and research progress of extraction technologies （e.g.，maceration，enzymatic hydrolysis，and ultrasound/microwave-assisted extraction） and separation and purification technologies （e.g.，gel chromatography and ion exchange chromatography） for plant polysaccharides were systematically reviewed. On this basis，the biological activities，including antioxidant，anti-aging，gastrointestinal function regulation，immunomodulation，antitumor，and blood glucose/lipid regulation，as well as their underlying mechanisms，were discussed in depth. Finally，the challenges and opportunities were summarized，and the application prospects of plant polysaccharides in food and pharmaceutical fields were prospected. This study aimed to provide a theoretical reference for the in-depth development，efficient utilization，and functional product creation of plant polysaccharide resources.