Chemical Structure, Hypoglycemic Activity, and Mechanism of Action of Selenium Polysaccharides

Abstract

Selenium polysaccharides (Se-polysaccharides) are one of important forms of organic Se, in which selenium (Se) and polysaccharides are joined by covalent bonds. In the present review, recent progress in chemical structure and hypoglycemic activity of Se-polysaccharides is summarized. In particular, the mechanism underlying hypoglycemic capacity of Se-polysaccharides is discussed, and the relationship between hypoglycemic activity and chemical structure is analyzed. Besides, strategies for further research into chemical structure and hypoglycemic activity of Se-polysaccharides are proposed. Hypoglycemic activity of Se-polysaccharides is closely related to their inhibitory effect on α-amylase and α-glucosidase, influence on insulin signal pathway especially IRS-PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and protection capacity against oxidative stress.

Keywords: Chemical structure; Hypoglycemic activity; Mechanism of action; Se-polysaccharides; Structure–activity relationship.

Fig. 1

Bioactivities of natural and synthetic Se-polysaccharides

Fig. 2

Possible drug targets of Se-polysaccharides on insulin signaling pathway. Insulin receptor substrates (InsR), phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP₂), phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP₃), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), Src homology 2 (SH2), protein kinase B (AKt), 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1(PDK₁), 3-phosphoinositide dependent kinase 2 (PDK₂), glucose transporter 4 (Glut-4), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), possible drug targets of Se-polysaccharides (PDT)