Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient of organism and has important function. It participates in the functions of selenoprotein in several manners. In recent years, Se has attracted much attention because of its therapeutic potential against several diseases. Many natural and synthetic organic Se-containing compounds were studied and explored for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. Studies have showed that incorporation of Se atom into small molecules significantly enhanced their bioactivities. In this paper, according to different applications and structural characteristics, the research progress and therapeutic application of Se-containing compounds are reviewed, and more than 110 Se-containing compounds were selected as representatives which showed potent activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, antifibrolytic, antiparasitic, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and central nervous system related effects. This review is expected to provide a basis for further study of new promising Se-containing compounds.

硒（Se）是生物体必需的微量营养素，具有重要的功能。它以多种方式参与硒蛋白的功能。近年来，硒因其对多种疾病的治疗潜力而备受关注。许多天然和合成的有机含硒化合物被研究和探索用于治疗癌症和其他疾病。研究表明，将硒原子掺入小分子中可显着增强其生物活性。本文根据不同的应用和结构特点，综述了含硒化合物的研究进展和治疗应用，选取了110多种具有抗癌、抗氧化、抗纤维化、抗纤维化、抗寄生虫药，抗菌、抗病毒、抗真菌和中枢神经系统相关作用。该综述有望为进一步研究新的有前途的含硒化合物提供基础。