Background The global crisis caused by the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, better known as COVID-19, brought the need to improve the population's immunity The foods rich in polysaccharides with immunomodulation properties are among the most highly rated to be used as immune response modulators Thus, the use of polysaccharides obtained from food offers an innovative strategy to prevent serious side effects of viral infections Scope and approach This review revisits the current studies on the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2, its characteristics, target cell interactions, and the possibility of using polysaccharides from functional foods as activators of the immune response Several natural foods are explored for the possibility of being used to obtain polysaccharides with immunomodulatory potential And finally, we address expectations for the use of polysaccharides in the development of potential therapies and vaccines Key findings and conclusions The negative consequences of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic across the world are unprecedented, thousands of lives lost, increasing inequalities, and incalculable economic losses On the other hand, great scientific advances have been made regarding the understanding of the disease and forms of treatment Polysaccharides, due to their characteristics, have the potential to be used as potential drugs with the ability to modulate the immune response In addition, they can be used safely, as they have no toxic effects, are biocompatible and biodegradable Finally, these biopolymers can still be used in the development of new therapies and vaccines
Polysaccharides obtained from natural edible sources and their role in modulating the immune system: Biologically active potential that can be exploited against COVID-19