Antioxidant and hepatic fibrosis-alleviating effects of selenium-modified Bletilla striata polysaccharide

Liver fibrosis is a significant precursor to cirrhosis and liver cancer, yet effective treatments remain elusive. Our previous studies demonstrated that Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP) has therapeutic effects, though it performed poorly at medium concentrations. To address this limitation, BSP underwent selenization modification. In this study, selenized BSP (Se-BSP) was structurally characterized, and its in vivo activity in alleviating liver fibrosis was evaluated. The results showed that the molecular weight of Se-BSP increased, its in vitro antioxidant activity improved, and it exhibited enhanced efficacy in alleviating liver fibrosis at medium concentrations (150 mg/kg) compared to BSP. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the potential application of Se-BSP as an anti-liver fibrosis agent.