Plant polyphenols， which are widely presented in plants， are a class of natural secondary metabolites with multiple phenolic hydroxyl groups. Plant polyphenols have become one of the hot topics in recent years due to its potential health benefits and various physiological functions such as anti-inflammatory. Nonetheless， the stability of polyphenols will be reduced due to the environmental conditions， thus affecting their anti-inflammatory activity. Microencapsulation technology could encapsulate polyphenol into carriers and keep it biologically active for a longer period of time. This paper reviewed the anti-inflammatory functions of polyphenols in cell models and animal models and the anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Moreover， the research progress of polyphenol microcapsules was also reviewed， aiming at providing a theoretical reference for the further utilization of plant polyphenols and anti-inflammatory drug development.