Tumorigenesis, Metabolism, Speciation, Bioavailability, and Tissue Deposition of Selenium in Selenium-Enriched Ramps (Allium tricoccum)

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 2000-11, Vol.48 (11), p.5723-5730
• Main Authors: Whanger, P. D, Ip, C, Polan, C. E, Uden, P. C, Welbaum, G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allium - growth & development; Allium - metabolism; Animals; Anticarcinogenic Agents - pharmacokinetics; Antineoplastic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Availability; Cystathionine - metabolism; Cysteine - analogs & derivatives; Cysteine - metabolism; Diet; Dipeptides - metabolism; Female; General aspects; General pharmacology; Humans; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental - chemically induced; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental - prevention & control; Medical sciences; Methylnitrosourea; Organoselenium Compounds - metabolism; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Selenium - administration & dosage; Selenium - pharmacokinetics; Selenocysteine - analogs & derivatives; Tissue Distribution
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf000739s

Ramps (Allium tricoccum) were grown either in a mixture of vermiculite and peat moss or hydroponically with various concentrations of selenium as sodium selenate. The concentrations used were from 30 to 300 mg of selenium/kg of vermiculite−peat moss or from 10 to 120 mg/L in the hydroponic solutions. Levels as high as 784 mg of selenium/kg were obtained in the ramp bulbs when grown with high levels of selenium in the vermiculite−peat moss, and up to 600 mg of selenium/kg was obtained hydroponically. The predominant form of selenium in the ramp bulbs at all concentrations of selenium was Se-methylselenocysteine, with lower amounts of selenate, Se-cystathionine, and glutamyl-Se-methylselenocysteine. There was a ∼43% reduction in chemically induced mammary tumors when rats were fed a diet with Se-enriched ramps. Dietary Se-enriched ramps for rats did not result in excessive tissue selenium accumulation or undesirable side effects. Bioavailability studies with rats indicated that selenium in ramps was 15−28% more available for regeneration of glutathione peroxidase activity than inorganic selenium as selenite. Therefore, Se-enriched ramps appear to have potential for the reduction of cancer in humans. Keywords: Ramps; Allium tricoccum; selenium; speciation; tumorigenesis; tissue accumulation; rats; bioavailability