CHAPTER 20: Selenohomolanthionine and Its Potential Use in Medicine and Nutrition

Selenohomolanthionine (SeHLan) is the common name of 4,4′-selenobis[2-aminobutanoic acid] or Se-(3-amino-3-carboxypropyl)-homocysteine. SeHLan was first identified in an extract of Japanese pungent radish (Raphanus sativus L. cv. “Yukibijin”) fortified with selenate, an inorganic form of selenium (Se). Thereafter, its derivative, 2,3-dihydroxy-propionyl-selenohomolanthionine (2,3-DHP-SeHLan), was identified in selenized yeast extract. SeHLan is less toxic than inorganic Se, and the tissue distribution of SeHLan differs from that of selenomethionine (SeMet) in experimental animals. In addition, it was reported that SeHLan exhibited an antiseptic effect in mouse. In this chapter, the metabolism of SeHLan in plants and animals, and the toxicological and pharmacological effects of SeHLan are explained.