Nano-Se as a novel candidate in the management of oxidative stress related disorders and cancer

Oxidative stress occurs when the antioxidant defense of the cellular system is unable to counteract the formation of reactive oxygen species and/or oxidants, as a result, reactive oxygen species prevails in the system. Oxidative stress leads to damages at macromolecular level and hence is involved in various forms of diseases and disorders. Nanotechnology is a booming field with tremendous potential in biology, biotechnology, medicines and medical technology. Novel nanomaterials and nanodevices are designed and controlled by nanotechnological tools and systems, which inspect and tune the properties, and functions of both living- and non-living materials, at sizes below 100 nm. Selenium (Se) is of fundamental importance to human health. As a potential chemoprotectant, its administration necessitates consumption for a long term, thus the toxicity of selenium is always a crucial concern. Recently, nanotechnology based new form of selenium, i.e., selenium nanoparticle (Nano-Se) has attracted attention of researchers owing to its low toxicity and high bioavailability, because at nano range selenium particles exhibit excellent characteristics, for example great surface area, effective surface activity, lots of surface active centers, high catalytic efficiency, strong adsorbing ability and minor toxicity. This review presents an overview on the novel use of Nano-Se in the management and therapy of oxidative stress related disorders.