Selenium species in vegetables: benefits and toxicity for the body

Abstract

Background: Selenium is one of the essential trace elements in various biological body functions. The main source of Selenium in the body is food, one of which is vegetables. Vegetables collect Selenium from the soil which is then converted into various chemical species of Selenium. Such species should be recognized since each has different biological activities. Objective: The aim of this review was to identify chemical species of Selenium in vegetables as well as the benefits and toxicity for the body. Methods: Reference searches were done in Pubmed and Google Scholar databases with the keywords Selenium speciation in plants, selenite, selenate, selenomethionine, selenocystine, and se-methylselenocysteine Results: The results of speciation in several types of vegetables showed that the chemical species of Selenium abundantly found in vegetables were selenomethionine (SeMet), selenocystine (SeCys2) and se-methylselenocysteine (Se-MeSeCys), gamma-glutamyl-Se-methyl-selenocysteine, and inorganic species. Both Selenium-enriched vegetables and the species contained therein have a variety of benefits for the body. However, excessive consumption can also cause toxic effects. Conclusion: The chemical species of Selenium in vegetables can be either organic or inorganic. Both types of species have different benefits and toxic effects. Keywords: benefits, chemical species, Selenium, toxicity, vegetable