Extraction, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Broussonetia papyrifera fruits polysaccharides

•Extraction conditions of B. papyrifera fruits polysaccharides were optimized by RSM.•The structural characters of BPP-1, BPP-2 and BPP-3 were investigated.•BPP-3 showed strong antioxidant ability and antibacterial activity. Polysaccharides were extracted from Broussonetia papyrifera ((L.) L’Herit. ex Vent.) fruits (BPP), and response surface methodology was used to maximize extraction yield. The optimum extraction conditions were: ratio of water to solid, 30mL/g; extraction duration, 50min; extraction power, 180W; and extraction temperature, 60°C. Under these conditions, the yield of BPP was 8.61%. Then, BPP was purified, and three purified fractions (designated BPP-1, BPP-2 and BPP-3) were obtained for further physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity analysis. These fractions were mainly composed of glucose, mannose and arabinose residue, meanwhile, BPP-3 had a significantly higher rhamnose and uronic acid content than BPP-1 and BPP-2. And BPP-3 showed the best hydroxyl radial scavenging activity, ferric reducing activity power (FRAP), antihemolytic activity and antibacterial activity.