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Biochem/physiol Actions

Sitosterol promotes the antioxidant levels and is used as an effective anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic and anticancer agent in medicinal preparations. It acts as a neutralizing agent for the venom from viper and cobra. Sitosterol acts on protein kinase C (PKC) and in the sphingomyelin cycle to mediate tumor progression inhibition.

Purification Methods

Crystallise -sitosterol from EtOH, MeOH, Me2CO, Me2CO/EtOH or Me2CO/MeOH. It has also been purified by zone melting. The acetate crystallises from MeOH or EtOH as plates with m 127128o and [] D 20 -41o (c 2, CHCl3). The benzoate crystallises from EtOH as needles with m 146-147o and [] D 20 –13.8o (c 2, CHCl3). [Fujimoto & Jacobson J Org Chem 29 3377, 3381 1964, Shoppee J Chem Soc 10431948, Heilbron et al. J Chem Soc 344, 347 1941, Beilstein 6 III 2696.]

Definition

A steroid with long aliphatic side chains (8–10 carbons) and at least one hydroxyl group. They are lipidsoluble and often occur in membranes. Examples are cholesterol and ergosterol.

General Description

Sitosterol, also called as β-sitosterol, is synthesized through the mevalonate and deoxy xylulose pathways. Synthetically, it is synthesized from stigmasterol by Δ22–23 alkene group hydrogenation. Structurally sitosterol differ from cholesterol with ethyl (sitosterol) group in C24 position of side chain(65). Sitosterol is a lipid component of membranes. It corresponds to a molecular mass of 414.71 g/mol).