stigmasterol and stigmastanol

Consumption of plant sterol- or stanol-enriched margarines by statin users results in an additional LDL-cholesterol reduction of approximately 10 %, which may be larger than the average decrease of 3-7 % achieved by doubling the statin dose. However, whether this effect persists in the long term is not known. Therefore, we examined in patients already on stable statin treatment the effects of 85 weeks of plant sterol and stanol ester consumption on the serum lipoprotein profile, cholesterol metabolism, and bile acid synthesis. For this, a double-blind randomised trial was designed in which fifty-four patients consumed a control margarine with no added plant sterols or stanols for 5 weeks (run-in period). For the next 85 weeks, seventeen subjects continued with the control margarine and the other two groups with either a plant sterol (n 18) or plant stanol (n 19) (2.5 g/d each) ester-enriched margarine. Blood was sampled at the end of the run-in period and every 20 weeks during the intervention period. Compared with the control group, plant sterol and stanol ester consumption reduced LDL-cholesterol by 0.28 mmol/l (or 8.7 %; P = 0.08) and 0.42 mmol/l (13.1 %; P = 0.006) respectively after 85 weeks. No effects were found on plasma concentrations of oxysterols or 7 alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one, a bile acid synthesis marker. We conclude that long-term consumption of both plant sterol and stanol esters effectively lowered LDL-cholesterol concentrations in statin users.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Anticholesteremic Agents; Biomarkers; Cholestenones; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, LDL; Double-Blind Method; Esters; Female; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Hypercholesterolemia; Lipid Metabolism; Lipoproteins; Male; Margarine; Middle Aged; Phytosterols; Sitosterols; Stigmasterol

Sterols are components present in the fat fraction of infant formulas (IFs). Their characterization is therefore of interest, though there are no official reference methods for their analysis in these matrices.. To validate a gas chromatographic method with flame ionization detection for the determination of animal (cholesterol and desmosterol) and plant sterols (brassicasterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol and sitostanol) found in IFs. All correlation coefficients obtained for the calibration curves of sterols studied were >0.99. Limits of detection (<1 μg/100 mL) and quantification (<4 μg/100 mL) are suitable for sterols determination in IFs. The within-assay precision ranged from 1.6% to 8.8%, while the between-assay precision was <10% for most of sterols. Accuracy was satisfactory and was calculated by recovery assays (ranging 93-108%). The analytical parameters obtained showed the suitability of the proposed method for the determination of sterols in IFs.

Topics: Calibration; Cholestadienols; Cholesterol; Chromatography, Gas; Desmosterol; Flame Ionization; Infant Formula; Limit of Detection; Phytosterols; Reproducibility of Results; Sitosterols; Stigmasterol

The bioaccessibility (BA) of total and individual plant sterols (PS) of four commercial PS-enriched fermented milk beverages (designated as A to D) was evaluated using in vitro gastrointestinal digestion including the formation of mixed micelles. The fat content of the samples ranged from 1.1 to 2.2% (w/w), and PS enrichment was between 1.5 and 2.9% (w/w). β-Sitosterol, contained in all samples, was higher in samples A and B (around 80% of total PS). The campesterol content was C (22%) > A (7%) > B (5%). Sitostanol was the most abundant in sample D (85%). Stigmasterol was only present in sample C (33%). The greatest BA percentage for total PS corresponded to samples A and B (16-17%), followed by sample D (11%) and sample C (9%). The total BA was not related to the protein, lipid or PS content of the beverages, whereas samples with higher carbohydrates and fiber contents showed lower BA. The BA of the individual PS differed according to the sample considered, and was not related to the PS profile of the sample, thus indicating strong dependency upon the matrix (PS ingredient and other components). Although in vivo studies should be carried out to better assess the functionality of PS in functional foods such as enriched fermented milk beverages, our in vitro study is a useful preliminary contribution to evaluation of the efficacy of these products.

Topics: Biological Availability; Cholesterol; Cultured Milk Products; Dietary Carbohydrates; Dietary Fats; Dietary Fiber; Digestion; Food, Fortified; Functional Food; Gastrointestinal Tract; Micelles; Models, Biological; Phytosterols; Sitosterols; Stigmasterol

Quercetin (QT) is a potential chemotherapeutic drug with low solubility that seriously limits its clinical use. The aim of this study was enhancing cellular penetration of QT by sterol containing solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) which make bilayers fluent for targeting hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Three variables including sterol type (cholesterol, stigmasterol and stigmastanol), drug and sterol content were studied in a surface response D-optimal design for preparation of QT-SLNs by emulsification solvent evaporation method. The studied responses included particle size, zeta potential, drug loading capacity and 24 h release efficiency (RE24%). Scanning electron and atomic force microscopy were used to study the morphology of QT-SLNs and their thermal behavior was studied by DSC analysis. Cytotoxicity of QT-SLNs was determined by MTT assay on HepG-2 cells and cellular uptake by fluorescence microscopy method. Optimized QT-SLNs obtained from cholesterol and QT with the ratio of 2:1 that showed particle size of 78.0 ± 7.0 nm, zeta potential of -22.7 ± 1.3 mV, drug loading efficiency of 99.9 ± 0.5% and RE24 of 56.3 ± 3.4%. IC50 of QT in cholesterol SLNs was about six and two times less than free QT and phytosterol SLNs, respectively, and caused more accumulation of QT in HepG2 cells. Blank phytosterol SLNs were toxic on cells.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Cholesterol; Hep G2 Cells; Humans; Liposomes; Liver Neoplasms; Nanoparticles; Particle Size; Quercetin; Sitosterols; Stigmasterol

This study has determined oil, fatty acid (FA) and phytosterols content during the ripening of the Tunisian Onopordum acanthium L. seeds. In total, nine FAs and six phytosterols were identified. The main FAs were linoleic acid (0.18-8.06 mg/g of seed) followed by oleic acid (0.051-2.45 mg/g of seed), palmitic acid and stearic acid. Pentadecanoic acid was detected, for the first time, in unripe fruits and the two last stages of development were characterised by a relative abundance of erucic acid. Overall, β-sitosterol (34.5-77.79% of total sterols) was the major 4-desmethylsterols during maturation. The first episodes of growth were characterised by the best amounts of stigmasterol and campesterol, while stigmastanol and Δ7 sitosterol had quoted the semi-ripe and fully ripe fruits; however, cholesterol was absent. These findings are useful in understanding a potential new source of important natural compounds (Phytosterols and USFA) found in this fruit and when harvest should be undertaken to optimise desired FA and phytosterols content.

Topics: Cholesterol; Fatty Acids; Fruit; Linoleic Acid; Oleic Acid; Onopordum; Phytosterols; Plant Oils; Seeds; Sitosterols; Stigmasterol; Tunisia

To analyze the phytosterol content in food plant materials and Chinese traditional herbal medicines commonly used in China.. 18 kinds of food plant materials and 32 kinds of Chinese traditional herbal medicines, which were commonly used in functional food, were chosen as samples. The contents of beta-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, beta-sitostanol were analyzed by GC methods and the percent of each ingredient were calculated.. The contents of phytosterols in 18 kinds of food plant materials were from 14.8 mg/100 g to 208.3 mg/100 g, while the content of phytosterols in 32 Chinese traditional herbal medicines were from 9.4 mg/100 g to 280.3 mg/100 g. In most samples, beta-sitosterol is the largest part of total phytosterol.. Phytosterols were existed in 50 kinds of food plant materials and Chinese traditional herbal medicines commonly used in functional food, maybe phytosterol is an important functional ingredient in some plant materials.

Topics: Cholesterol; Chromatography, Gas; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Phytosterols; Plants, Medicinal; Sitosterols; Stigmasterol; Vegetables

Faecal sterols detection is a promising method for identifying sources of faecal pollution. In this study, faecal contamination in water samples from point source (sewage treatment plants, chicken farms, quail farms and horse stables) was extracted using the solid phase extraction (SPE) technique. Faecal sterols (coprostanol, cholesterol, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol and stigmastanol) were selected as parameters to differentiate the source of faecal pollution. The results indicated that coprostanol, cholesterol and beta-sitosterol were the most significant parameters that can be used as source tracers for faecal contamination. Chemometric techniques, such as cluster analysis, principal component analysis and discriminant analysis were applied to the data set on faecal contamination in water from various pollution sources in order to validate the faecal sterols' profiles. Cluster analysis generated three clusters: coprostanol was in cluster 1, cholesterol and beta-sitosterol formed cluster 2, while cluster 3 contained stigmasterol and stigmastanol. Discriminant analysis suggested that coprostanol, cholesterol and beta-sitosterol were the most significant parameters to discriminate between the faecal pollution source. The use of chemometric techniques provides useful and promising indicators in tracing the source of faecal contamination.

Topics: Cholestanol; Cholesterol; Environmental Monitoring; Feces; Sitosterols; Solid Phase Extraction; Sterols; Stigmasterol; Water Pollutants

A validated and repeatable high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with online evaporative light scattering (ELSD) was developed for the analysis of two sterols, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol and a stanol, stigmastanol, found to be common in many herbal formulations and health care supplements. The method is based on the separation of the three marker compounds on a C8 column (Phenomenex Luna, 5 microm, 150 mmx4.6 mm i.d.) using methanol:water (95:5 v/v) as the mobile phase, and a flow rate of 1 ml/min to separate all the marker compounds within 12 min. Cholesterol (50 microg/ml) was used as internal standard and methanol as the extraction solvent. The ELSD response parameters were optimised and the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were calculated to be 2 and 5 microg/ml, respectively, which is more sensitive than obtained by photo diode array detection (5 and 7 microg/ml). Using ELSD, the percentage relative standard deviation (%R.S.D.) of intra-day and inter-day (3 days) precision for each marker was better than 3%, the accuracy data were within 97-103% and the recovery data were found to be within 95-107% for the five commercially available products examined. This method was used to assay commercially available products formulated as oral dosage forms purported to contain African Potato and associated sterols and stanol and proved to be suitable for the routine analysis and quality control of such products.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Dosage Forms; Light; Reference Standards; Reproducibility of Results; Scattering, Radiation; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sitosterols; Stigmasterol

Factors contributing to the oxidative stability of phytosterols were studied. Unsaturated stigmasterol and saturated sitostanol were used as model compounds and were heated at different temperatures in different lipid matrices for various periods of time. Accumulations of the major secondary oxidation products were used as a marker of the stability of heated compounds, and the products were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that both temperature and heating time, as well as sterol structure and lipid matrix composition, affected phytosterol oxidation. In particular, the interactions between different lipid matrices and temperatures had drastic effects on the total contents of the phytosterol oxides formed and also on the reaction pathways of oxidation. During heating at high temperatures for prolonged periods, >20% of stigmasterol was oxidized. At moderate temperatures the oxidation of stigmasterol was rather slow. Sitostanol oxide contents were low under all heating conditions studied.

Topics: Drug Stability; Food Handling; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Hot Temperature; Lipids; Oxidation-Reduction; Phytosterols; Sitosterols; Stigmasterol; Time Factors

Plant sterol and stanol esters were separated on a Luna hexyl-phenyl column using a gradient of acetonitrile (90-100%) in water. The eluted compounds were detected by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI)-mass spectroscopy (MS) in the positive mode. Sterol and stanol esters produced [M + H - HOOCR](+) ions. Application of the hyphenated technique-LC-MS-allowed differentiation between a number of esters of sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, and (tentatively) avenasterol, as well as sitostanol and campestanol esters. With cholesteryl decanoate used as the internal standard, the method showed good linearity, precision, and reproducibility. The method required minimal sample pretreatment and can be applied to samples with high water content (juices) as well as samples with high oil content (margarine spreads). The method could be useful for the analysis of sterol and stanol esters in fortified food products.

Topics: Anticholesteremic Agents; Beverages; Cholesterol; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Citrus; Esters; Fruit; Margarine; Mass Spectrometry; Phytosterols; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sitosterols; Stigmasterol

Sterols (sitosterol, cholesterol, stigmasterol, ergosterol, and 7-dehydrocholesterol) and sitostanol have been converted in high to near-quantitative yields to the corresponding long-chain acyl esters via esterification with fatty acids or transesterification with methyl esters of fatty acids or triacylglycerols using lipase from Candida rugosa as biocatalyst in vacuo (20-40 mbar) at 40 degrees C. Neither organic solvent nor water is added in these reactions. Under similar conditions, cholesterol has been converted to cholesteryl butyrate and steroids (5alpha-pregnan-3beta-ol-20-one or 5-pregnen-3beta-ol-20-one) have been converted to their propionic acid esters, both in moderate to high yields, via transesterification with tributyrin and tripropionin, respectively. Reaction parameters studied in esterification include the temperature and the molar ratio of the substrates as well as the amount and reuse properties of the C. rugosa lipase. Lipases from porcine pancreas, Rhizopus arrhizus, and Chromobacterium viscosum are quite ineffective as biocatalysts for the esterification of cholesterol with oleic acid under the above conditions.

Topics: Candida; Catalysis; Cholesterol; Dehydrocholesterols; Ergosterol; Esterification; Fatty Acids; Kinetics; Lipase; Sitosterols; Sterols; Stigmasterol; Substrate Specificity; Triglycerides; Vacuum

Plant sterols in vegetable foods might prevent colorectal cancer.. The objective was to study plant sterol intakes in relation to colorectal cancer risk in an epidemiologic study.. The study was performed within the framework of the Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer in 120852 subjects who completed a baseline questionnaire in 1986. After 6.3 y of follow-up, 620 colon and 344 rectal cancer cases were detected. A case-cohort approach was used to calculate confounder-adjusted rate ratios (RRs) and their 95% CIs for quintiles of plant sterol intake.. The total mean (+/-SD) intake of campesterol, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, campestanol, and beta-sitostanol was 285 +/- 97 mg/d. Major contributors to plant sterol intake were bread (38%), vegetable fats (26%), and fruit and vegetables (21%). For men, there was no clear association between intake of any of the plant sterols and colon cancer risk when age, smoking, alcohol use, family history of colorectal cancer, education level, and cholecystectomy were controlled for. Adjustment for energy did not alter the result. For rectal cancer, adjustment for energy resulted in positive associations between risk and campesterol and stigmasterol intakes. For women, there was no clear association between intake of any of the plant sterols and colorectal cancer risk.. A high dietary intake of plant sterols was not associated with a lower risk of colon and rectal cancers in the Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer.

Topics: Aged; Bread; Case-Control Studies; Cholesterol; Cohort Studies; Colorectal Neoplasms; Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; Dietary Fats; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Fruit; Humans; Hypolipidemic Agents; Male; Middle Aged; Netherlands; Phytosterols; Prospective Studies; Rectal Neoplasms; Risk Factors; Sitosterols; Stigmasterol; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vegetables

As part of an extensive safety evaluation programme, a series of studies has been conducted to determine the fate of phytosterols in the rat. Rats were dosed by oral gavage with 14C-labelled samples of cholesterol, beta-sitosterol or beta-sitostanol or (3)H-labelled samples of beta-sitostanol, campesterol, campestanol or stigmasterol dissolved in sunflower seed oil. Urine and faeces were collected for up to 96 hours after dosing. There was no quantification of biliary excreted material in these studies. Animals were sacrificed and either prepared for whole body autoradiography or tissues and carcass remains were assayed for 14C or (3)H. The overall absorption of phytosterols was low as judged by tissue and carcass levels of radioactivity. Elimination from the body was mainly in the faeces and was initially very rapid, but traces of material were still being excreted at 4 days after dosing. While total absorption of the phytosterols could not be fully quantified without biliary excretion data, it was clear that cholesterol was absorbed to the greatest extent (27% of the dose in females at 24 hours). Campesterol (13%) was absorbed more than beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol (both 4%) which were absorbed more than beta-sitostanol and campestanol (1-2%). The absorption of phytosterols was slightly greater in females than males. For each test material, the overall pattern of tissue distribution of radioactivity was similar, with the adrenal glands, ovaries and intestinal epithelia showing the highest levels and the longest retention of radioactivity.

Topics: Animals; Autoradiography; Cholesterol; Female; Intestinal Absorption; Male; Phytosterols; Rats; Sitosterols; Stigmasterol; Tissue Distribution