Portulaca oleracea L. (POL) has a long history of medicinal use worldwide, and numerous clinical and experimental studies demonstrated the therapeutic effects of POL and its active ingredients in the treatment of Ulcerative colitis (UC). In this review, we summarized the underlying mechanisms and roles of POL in UC treatment based on experimental and clinical studies. The research articles cited in this study were obtained by employing specific keywords, such as "purslane", "IBD", "UC", "inflammation", "gut microbiota", and "intestinal barrier", in PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. Clinical studies found that both POL monotherapy and POL traditional Chinese medicine compound are effective in treating UC. Meanwhile, experimental studies found that POL intervenes in UC by regulating intestinal flora, repairing mucosal barrier, and regulating immune response. Increasing evidence suggests the therapeutic potential of POL in UC treatment.