Selenium Injection

Selenium Injection

Available presentation(s): 5, 50 mL. Verify the exact concentration and total active quantity on the prescription and dispensing label.

Introduction: Selenium is an essential trace element incorporated into antioxidant and thyroid-related selenoproteins. Parenteral selenium is generally used to prevent or treat deficiency in patients receiving parenteral nutrition or with documented deficiency.

Dosage: Dose must reflect indication, age, nutrition regimen, baseline status and all selenium sources. Follow specialist parenteral-nutrition guidance. The 50 or 200 microgram/mL presentations are high-alert concentrates: prescribe in micrograms, verify units and dilute appropriately.

Mechanisms of Action: Required for glutathione peroxidases, thioredoxin reductases and iodothyronine deiodinases, supporting antioxidant defence and thyroid hormone metabolism.

Contraindications & Precautions: Avoid in selenium toxicity or hypersensitivity. Use caution with renal impairment and cumulative exposure. Monitor clinical status and selenium concentrations during prolonged therapy; microgram/milligram errors can be fatal.

Interactions: No major specific interactions are established for replacement doses, but account for selenium in all nutrition and supplement products. Antioxidant effects may be relevant to oncology regimens.

Adverse Reactions / Side Effects: Excess exposure causes garlic breath, metallic taste, nausea, diarrhoea, hair/nail brittleness or loss, rash, fatigue, peripheral neuropathy and, in severe cases, cardiopulmonary or neurologic toxicity.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding: Selenium is required in pregnancy and lactation, but excessive dosing is harmful. Use only to meet a documented nutritional need under specialist oversight.

Storage: Store under the conditions stated on the Optimus dispensing label and product-specific worksheet. Protect from light where labelled. Do not freeze unless explicitly validated. Maintain cold chain if the label requires refrigeration. Do not use after the assigned beyond-use date or if there is visible particulate matter, precipitation, colour change, loss of container integrity or evidence of improper storage. Once entered, follow the validated in-use time; do not assume a compounded vial is multi-dose.

References

• New Zealand Formulary (NZF), current online edition; product-specific approved data sheets where available; USP Pharmaceutical Compounding—Sterile Preparations; and Optimus Healthcare validated formulation, sterility/endotoxin controls and assigned beyond-use date.
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Health Professional Fact Sheets (vitamins and minerals), current online editions. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-VitaminsMinerals/
• US FDA. Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers. Updated 16 September 2025. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/compounding-and-fda-questions-and-answers