In vitro assessment of bioavailability of selenium from a processed Japanese
anchovy, Niboshi.
ABSTRACT
Niboshi is a commonly used foodstuff that is processed from Japanese anchovy
(Engraulis japonicus) in Japanese cuisine. It was previously demonstrated
that Niboshi and its water extract contained highly bioavailable selenium
for selenium deficient mice. In this study, we assessed the selenium bioavailability
from the extract of the Niboshi, using cultured cells. The activity of
selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (GPx) of rat dorsal ganglion
cells and human cervical carcinoma cells incubated with selenium from the
Niboshi extract was over 2 times of that of the extract-free control cells
and comparable to that of cells incubated with selenious acid of the same
selenium concentration. These results suggest that selenium from the Niboshi
extract was utilized for synthesis of the selenoprotein. Such in vitro
selenium bioavailability was consistent with our previous results of in
vivo assessment in mice.