In vitro evaluation of glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-like activity and antioxidant properties of an organoselenium compound.

The amine based diselenide, (Z)-N-(4-methylbenzylidene)-1-(2-((2-(1-((E)-4-methyl benzylideneamino)ethyl)phenyl)diselanyl)phenyl)ethanamine ethyl)phenyl) diselanyl) phenyl) ethylimino) methyl)phenol (Compound A) an organoselenium compound that can mimic endogenous antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and diphenyl diselenide (PhSe)2 were tested against lipid peroxidation induced by sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and Fe(II) in rat brain, interaction with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl stable free radical (DPPH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) like antioxidant activities with H2O2 or tBuOOH as substrates and with PhSH as thiol co-substrates as well as their ability to oxidize thiols were evaluated. From this study, we concluded that Compound A catalyze the reduction of H2O2 with thiol was ∼2-fold more active than (PhSe)2) in both tBuOOH and H2O2 systems when PhSH was used as a substrate. (PhSe)2 exhibited an increased ability to oxidize thiols while Compound A was not a good substrate for the oxidation of thiol used namely DTT and Cystine and showed DPPH radical-scavenging activity, while (PhSe)2 did not present radical scavenging activity. Compound A (amine based diselenide) presented better antioxidant profiles than (PhSe)2 against lipid peroxidation. The results clear showed that nitrogen atom in the Compound A can have a profound effect on their pharmacological properties.