Objective: Currently

studies on the pharmacological effect of polysaccharides in traditional Chinese medicines are active

but with fewer studies polysaccharide molecular weight.In order to provide a theoretical basis for the determination of the molecular weight of TCM polysaccharides and its pharmacological activity

researchers summarized the determination methods of molecular weight of TCM polysaccharide

analyzed and compared their advantages and disadvantages

screened out more simple and practical method. Method: A lot of literatures of determination of the molecular weight of TCM polysaccharide were consulted to summarize and analyze the determination methods. Result :The methods for determining the molecular weight of polysaccharides included viscosity method

ultracentrifuge method

light scattering method

osmostic pressure method

gel chromatography

high-performance-gel-permeation-chromatography(HPGPC) and united usage. Conclusion: In recent years

the most common measurement method is HPGPC. This method is simple

rapid

sensitive and highly reproducible and requires a small sample size. HPGPC can be used as the preferred method for determining molecular weight and molecular distribution of polysaccharide.