Antioxidant properties and correlation with chemical components in selenium-enriched ampelopsis grossedentata extract

Ampelopsis grossedentata , a selenium-rich botanical resource from Enshi, China, has gained prominence for its dihydromyricetin-mediated antioxidant properties. This study investigated the synergistic effects of selenium biofortification on the antioxidant efficacy of A. grossedentata hot-water extracts (AGE) through integrated phytochemical and functional analyses. Selenium biofortification (80 mg L – 1 sodium selenite) significantly elevated total selenium, dihydromyricetin (DMY), myricetin and sucrose levels in Se-AGE compared to AGE ( p < 0.05). Antioxidant profiling revealed Se-AGE's superior performance across multiple assays: conjugated diene inhibition, hydroxyl radicals scavenging, ABTS radicals scavenging, and ferric reducing power. Pearson correlation analysis identified total selenium as the primary antioxidant determinant ( r = 0.79–0.99), with DMY contributing the secondary effects ( r = 0.48–0.83). Notably, selenium enrichment enhanced DMY biosynthesis while maintaining extraction yields (> 47%), suggesting a dual biofortification mechanism. This study demonstrates that selenium biofortification synergistically enhanced the in vitro antioxidant capacity of A. grossedentata extract, primarily correlated with elevated total selenium and DMY levels. These findings provide mechanistic insights into selenium-phytochemical interactions and highlight the potential of Se-biofortified A. grossedentata as a source of natural antioxidants. Further in vivo studies are warranted to validate its bioactivity.