Comparison of selenium distribution in mice organs after the supplementation with inorganic and organic selenium compound selenosemicarbazide.

Studies on selenium organ content and its function in living organisms just like studies on other elements provide interesting results although their interpretation is not always clear. The aim of our study was to determine the concentration and distribution of selenium in several organs and tissues in mice after supplementation with our newly synthesized organic compound of selenium selenosemicarbazide (4-o-tolyl-selenosemicarbazide of o-chlorobenzoic acid) as compared to the effects of the supplementation with inorganic compounds. SWISS mice were fed with both types of compounds at the dose of 10(-3) g Se per kg for the period of 10 days. The concentrations of selenium in brains of mice treated with selenocarbazide and sodium selenite were higher than in controls (38.04 micrograms g-1 and 32.00 micrograms g-1 vs. 26.18 micrograms g-1). There was a statistically significant increase in the selenium contents in lungs after supplementation with selenosemicarbazide and sodium selenite (11.81 micrograms g-1 and 6.79 micrograms g-1 vs. 1.75 micrograms g-1 in controls). We found a statistically insignificant increase in selenium contents in intercostal muscles after supplementation with inorganic selenium compounds and a statistically significant increase after the supplementation with selenosemicarbazide (10.13 micrograms g-1; 14.21 micrograms g-1 and 28.84 micrograms g-1, respectively). Our investigations lead to a conclusion that 4-o-tolyl-seleno-semicarbazide of o-chlorobenzoic acid, an organic selenium compound may be more easily absorbed than inorganic sodium IV selenite.