Biofunctionalization of Selenium Nanoparticles with Moringa Oleifera Modulates Redox Balance and Inflammatory...

Diabetes mellitus is associated with sustained oxidative stress and inflammation that drive progressive cellular and tissue dysfunction. Selenium is a key redox-regulating trace element; however, how phytochemical surface functionalization alters the biological performance of selenium-based nanomaterials remains insufficiently defined. This study comparatively evaluated selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), Moringa oleifera-derived nanoparticles (MONPs), and M. oleifera-functionalized selenium nanoparticles (MO-SeNPs) in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. Diabetes induction resulted in hyperglycemia, elevated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), increased lipid peroxidation, enhanced pancreatic TNF-α levels, impaired antioxidant defenses, and marked pancreatic, hepatic, and renal tissue injury. All nanoformulations partially improved these parameters; however, MO-SeNPs produced the most consistent improvement in long-term glycemic control (HbA1c), redox balance, inflammatory markers, and tissue architecture. Notably, selenium-based nanomaterials exhibited context-dependent redox effects in non-diabetic animals, underscoring the importance of dose and disease state. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that phytochemical functionalization modulates the applied biochemical performance of selenium nanoparticles and supports biofunctionalization as an optimization strategy for redox-targeted nanomaterials.