Biochemistry of Selenium

In recent years many exciting research results have indicated that selen ium, depending on its concentration, can influence mammalian metabo lism. It has been estimated that in selenium-deficient areas, selenium or selenium-vitamin E combinations added to animal feed can prevent an nuallosses to beef and dairy cattle and sheep valued at 545 million dollars and poultry and swine losses valued at 82 million dollars. Some animal diseases that can be prevented by a selenium-supple mented diet include liver necrosis, nutritional muscular dystrophy, exu dative diathesis, pancreatic degeneration, mulberry heart disease, infer tility, growth impairment, periodontal disease, and encephalomalacia. Selenium intake levels are dependent on the plant or animal feed con centrations, which, in turn, are dependent on the pH of the soil and the types of rocks from which the soils are derived. At normal metabolic levels selenium possesses an antioxidant affect manifested through glutathione peroxidase, and selenium also has an ef fect on cytochrome P-450 and heme metabolism. Comparisons are made between metabolism of selenium and sulfur in plants, animals, and hu mans. At greater selenium intake levels acute poisoning occurs when high-selenium-content (10,000 ppm Se) plants are consumed in large quan tities. The toxic reactions were first manifested in cavalry horses near Fort Randall, Nebraska, in the 1860s.

List of contents

1. Forms of Selenium.- 1.1 Low Molecular-Weight Compounds.- 1.2 Macromolecular Forms of Selenium.- 11.11 References.- 2. Selenium Deficiency Diseases in Animals.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Dietary Liver Necrosis and Factor 3.- 2.3 Nutritional Muscular Dystrophy.- 2.4 Exudative Diathesis.- 2.5 Pancreatic Degeneration.- 2.6 Mulberry Heart Disease.- 2.7 Reproductive Problems.- 2.8 Myopathy of the Gizzard.- 2.9 Growth.- 2.10 Selenium-Responsive Unthriftiness of Sheep and Cattle.- 2.11 Periodontal Disease of Ewes.- 2.12 Encephalomalacia.- 11.11 References.- 3. Metabolism of Selenium.- 3.1 Absorption.- 3.2 Placental Transfer.- 3.3 Mechanism of the Antioxidant Action of Selenium.- 3.4 Effect of Paraquat.- 3.5 Effect on Cytochrome P-450.- 3.6 Selenium and Hepatic Heme Metabolism.- 11.11 References.- 4. Comparative Metabolism and Biochemistry of Selenium and Sulphur.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Comparative Metabolism of Selenium and Sulphur.- 4.3 Comparative Biochemistry of Selenium and Sulphur.- 11.11 References.- 5. Biological Interactions of Selenium with Other Substances.- 5.1 Cadmium.- 5.2 Arsenic.- 5.3 Copper.- 5.4 Silver.- 5.5 Cobalt.- 5.6 Manganese.- 5.7 Lead.- 5.8 Mercury.- 5.9 Thallium.- 5.10 Tellurium.- 5.11 Vanadium.- 5.12 Bismuth.- 5.13 Other Substances.- 11.11 References.- 6. Environmental Occurrence of Selenium.- 6.1 Geochemistry of Selenium.- 6.2 Soil Selenium.- 6.3 Uptake and Concentration of Trace Elements in the Roots, Stems, and Leaves of Plants.- 6.4 Forage Selenium.- 6.5 Selenium in Water.- 6.6 Selenium in Food.- 6.7 Intakes and Recommended Daily Allowance in Humans.- 6.8 Regulations in Regard to Animal Diets.- 11.11 References.- 7. Toxicity of Selenium.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Industrial Medical Aspects.- 11.11 References.- 8. Selenium in Health and Disease.-8.1 Selenium and Cancer.- 8.2 Selenium and Mutagenesis.- 8.3 Selenium and Immunity.- 8.4 Selenium and Dental Caries.- 8.5 The Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Selenium.- 8.6 Selenium and Heart Disease.- 8.7 Selenium and Aging.- 8.8 Cystic Fibrosis.- 8.9 Multiple Sclerosis.- 8.10 Cataracts.- 8.11 Other Diseases.- 8.12 Radioselenium as a Diagnostic Agent.- 11.11 References.- 9. Synthetic Forms of Selenium and Their Chemotherapeutic Uses.- 9.1 Anti-Infective Agents.- 9.2 Antifungal Agents.- 9.3 Antiparasitic Agents.- 9.4 Compounds Affecting the Central Nervous System.- 9.5 Compounds that Affect the Autonomic Nervous System.- 9.6 Compounds that Affect the Circulatory System.- 9.7 Anti-Inflammatory Compounds.- 9.8 Antihistamines.- 9.9 Anticancer Agents.- 9.10 Antiradiation Agents.- 9.11 Steroids.- 9.12 Selenocoenzyme A.- 9.13 Selenium-Containing Carbohydrates.- 9.14 Seleno-Amino Acids.- 11.11 References.- 10. Analytical Methods of Selenium Determination.- 10.1 Introduction.- 10.2 Sample Preparation and Storage.- 10.3 Destructive Analysis.- 10.4 Nondestructive Analysis.- References.

Product details

• Authors: Raymond Shamberger
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 13.03.2013
• EAN: 9781468443158
• ISBN: 978-1-4684-4315-8
• No. of pages: 334
• Illustrations: XI, 334 p.
• Series: Biochemistry of the Elements; Biochemistry of the Elements
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > Biochemistry, biophysics