Researchers develop novel selenium nanoparticles for managing postmenopausal osteoporosis

As the aging population around the world grows, metabolic diseases like osteoporosis are becoming more prevalent and placing a greater burden on health care systems.

Rising to this challenge, a research team led by Prof. Wong Ka-hing, Director of the Research Institute for Future Food and Professor of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has developed novel selenium nanoparticles (Cs4-SeNPs) for managing postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace mineral for human health, playing important roles in many physiological functions. In the past decades, substantial evidence has demonstrated that Se deficiency is detrimental to bone microarchitecture and is associated with osteoporosis, suggesting its crucial role in bone metabolism.

Recently, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have become a new target of research, since they were found to possess remarkable bioactivity and lower toxicity compared to selenocompounds commonly found in foods. However, scientific research concerning their effects on bone health is currently very limited.

Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. is a medicinal fungus which has been long used as a tonic and therapeutic agent. By using polysaccharide–protein complexes (PSPs) isolated from the C. sinensis mycelium (Cs4) and a previously patented nanotechnology, the research team has recently prepared novel selenium nanoparticles with a uniform structure and high stability (Cs4-SeNPs).

Image source: Luk et al. (2023), Journal of Functional Foods.