Objective:To provide new insights for the selection and research of Gastrodia elata.Methods:Through searches in databases such as China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),PubMed,and Web of Science,a systematic literature review approach was adopted.This involved summarizing and synthesizing existing articles on the chemical structures and pharmacological effects of polysaccharides in Gastrodia elata,and performing a comprehensive cross-sectional analysis of factors affecting the polysaccharide content in Gastrodia elata.Results:Traditional Chinese medicine,Gastrodia elata,has properties such as calming wind and convul-sions,regulating liver yang,and expelling wind and promoting circulation.Gastrodia elata is rich in polysaccharide components,which exhibit strong pharmacological activities.Factors such as the origin,variety,associated micro-bial species,harvest period,and processing methods all influence the polysaccharide content in Gastrodia elata.Conclusion:It can be inferred from the evaluation index of Gastrodia elata polysaccharides that Yunnan and Sichuan are the high-quality main production areas of Gastrodia elata;red and black varieties of Gastrodia elata are considered superior.Winter-harvested Gastrodia elata has better quality than those harvested in other seasons.Processing methods,particularly steaming followed by slicing,help retain higher levels of polysaccharides in Gastrodia elata.

Objective:To provide new insights for the selection and research of Gastrodia elata.Methods:Through searches in databases such as China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),PubMed,and Web of Science,a systematic literature review approach was adopted.This involved summarizing and synthesizing existing articles on the chemical structures and pharmacological effects of polysaccharides in Gastrodia elata,and performing a comprehensive cross-sectional analysis of factors affecting the polysaccharide content in Gastrodia elata.Results:Traditional Chinese medicine,Gastrodia elata,has properties such as calming wind and convul-sions,regulating liver yang,and expelling wind and promoting circulation.Gastrodia elata is rich in polysaccharide components,which exhibit strong pharmacological activities.Factors such as the origin,variety,associated micro-bial species,harvest period,and processing methods all influence the polysaccharide content in Gastrodia elata.Conclusion:It can be inferred from the evaluation index of Gastrodia elata polysaccharides that Yunnan and Sichuan are the high-quality main production areas of Gastrodia elata;red and black varieties of Gastrodia elata are considered superior.Winter-harvested Gastrodia elata has better quality than those harvested in other seasons.Processing methods,particularly steaming followed by slicing,help retain higher levels of polysaccharides in Gastrodia elata.