Influence of encapsulated sodium alginates and pectin on selenium nanoparticles and efficient cardioprotective effect in C2C12 cell line

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have recently garnered substantial attention in drug delivery due to their unique properties. The present study focused on synthesizing SeNPs, utilizing sodium selenite as a template and ascorbic acid as the reducing agent. This was followed by sodium alginate-decorated selenium nanoparticles (SA-SeNPs) and pectin-decorated selenium nanoparticles (PET-SeNPs). These nanoparticles were subjected to UV–vis spectrophotometry, Fourier infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy (RS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) for characterization. The UV–vis spectroscopy results indicate a peak absorption spectrum at 266 nm for SeNPs, SA-SeNPs, and PET-SeNPs. The FTIR spectrum of SeNPs, SA-SeNPs, and PET-SeNPs was recorded within the wavenumber range of 400–4000 cm⁻¹. XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of SeNPs and SA-SeNPs, while PET-SeNPs were amorphous. SEM analysis revealed spherical morphology for SeNPs, spherical fibrous cross-link for SA-SeNPs, and cubic rod-shaped morphology for PET-SeNPs. Raman’s spectroscopy identified characteristic vibrations of monoclinic selenium in SeNPs, SA-SeNPs, and PET-SeNPs. DLS analysis indicated an average particle size distribution ranging from 140 to 192 nm, with a zeta potential value signifying the nanoparticles’ excellent stability. The antioxidant properties of SeNPs, SA-SeNPs, and PET-SeNPs via the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay indicated significantly higher scavenging activity for SA-SeNPs (72%) and PET-SeNPs (64%) compared to pure SeNPs (61%). Furthermore, cytotoxicity experiments on the C2C12 cell line showed reductions in cell death at 10 µg/mL concentrations of 16.3%, 11.8%, and 6.7% for SeNPs, SA-SeNPs, and PET-SeNPs, respectively. These results underscore the potential applications of PET-SeNPs and SA-SeNPs in diverse biomedical domains, including their use as antioxidant agents, drug delivery systems, and therapeutic agents for cardiovascular issues.