Abstract:

This study was aiming to investigate the combined forms and distribution of selenium in cultivated Cordyceps from Enshi city. Crude polysaccharides and protein in Cordyceps were extracted using different solvents, and the contents of selenium were analyzed by double-channel atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Resutls showed that the selenium binding with protein was the main storage form in the Cordyceps, accounting for 51.44% of total selenium. Alkali-soluble protein seemed to contain the highest amount of bound selenium, contributing to 31.18% of total selenium and 12.01% of selenium was observed to be bound to polysaccharides.

Key words: rich-Se Cordyceps, selenium-protein, selenium-polysaccharide, organically bound selenium