Ebselen is a benzoselenazole, specifically 1,2-benzoselenazol-3-one, with an additional phenyl group at position 2. It acts as a glutathione peroxidase mimic and has multiple roles, including neuroprotection, apoptosis induction, anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant properties, hepatoprotection, genotoxicity, radical scavenging, enzyme mimicry, and inhibition of various enzymes such as acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (NADP(+)), trypanothione-disulfide reductase, arachidonate 15- and 5-lipoxygenases, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 1-carboxyvinyltransferase, receptor protein-tyrosine kinase, cytosine deaminase, UDP-glucose 4-epimerase, ferroptosis, SARS coronavirus main proteinase, and others. It also functions as an antifungal, antibacterial, antineoplastic, and anticoronaviral agent.
