Journal of nanobiotechnology
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J Nanobiotechnology · Jan 2017
Antioxidant capacities of the selenium nanoparticles stabilized by chitosan.
Selenium (Se) as one of the essential trace elements for human plays an important role in the oxidation reduction system. But the high toxicity of Se limits its application. In this case, the element Se with zero oxidation state (Se0) has captured our attention because of its low toxicity and excellent bioavailability. However, Se0 is very unstable and easily changes into the inactive form. By now many efforts have been done to protect its stability. And this work was conducted to explore the antioxidant capacities of the stable Se0 nanoparticles (SeNPs) stabilized using chitosan (CS) with different molecular weights (Mws) (CS-SeNPs). ⋯ Our work could demonstrate the CS-SeNPs hold a lower toxicity and a 30-day storage process could enhance the antioxidant capacities. All CS-SeNPs could penetrate the tissues and perform their antioxidant effects, especially the CS(l)-SeNPs in mice models. What's more, the antioxidant capacities of CS-SeNPs were more evident in viscera than in skin.