Research Progress of Selenium-Rich Chinese Medicinal Materials and Seleno-Organic Forms
Selenium is an indispensable trace element in human body,exerting various physiological effects such as enhancing immune response,exhibiting anticancer properties,mitigating heavy metal toxicity,lower blood pressure and anti-arteriosclerosis.Through the enrichment of selenium in Chinese medicinal materials,inorganic selenium present in soil or added through fertilizers can be biotransformed into safe and efficient organic forms,resulting in increased levels of both selenium content and secondary metabolites within traditional Chinese medicine.This has significant potential for the development of traditional Chinese medicine resources with medicinal value.The paper provides a comprehensive review of the various types of selenium-enriched traditional Chinese medicine,as well as the purification and characterization of organic selenium compounds including selenium polysaccharide,selenium protein,and selenium nucleic acid derived from these medicinal sources.