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Elemental selenium and glutathione reductase.

K L Nuttall

    Medical Hypotheses
    |February 1, 1985
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Elemental selenium (Se degree) may be biologically active, challenging its inert status. Glutathione reductase might reduce elemental selenium to biologically active hydrogen selenide (H2Se) under physiological conditions.

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    Area of Science:

    • Biochemistry
    • Trace Element Metabolism
    • Chemical Biology

    Background:

    • Elemental selenium (Se degree) is widely considered biologically inert.
    • Recent findings suggest colloidal elemental selenium is reducible under biological conditions.
    • Glutathione reductase is implicated in selenium metabolism.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the potential biological activity of elemental selenium.
    • To explore the role of glutathione reductase in elemental selenium reduction.
    • To hypothesize a mechanism for elemental selenium's biological action.

    Main Methods:

    • Hypothetical modeling based on known biochemical pathways.
    • Review of existing literature on selenium and glutathione reductase.

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  • Analysis of chemical reduction potentials under physiological conditions.

    • Main Results:

    • Elemental selenium (Se degree) reduction to hydrogen selenide (H2Se) is plausible under biological conditions.
    • Glutathione reductase is a likely enzyme candidate to mediate this reduction.
    • This pathway suggests a novel mechanism for elemental selenium's biological activity.

    Conclusions:

    • Elemental selenium may possess biological activity, contrary to prior assumptions.
    • Glutathione reductase may play a key role in activating elemental selenium.
    • This highlights the importance of the chemical form of selenium in biological systems.