BACKGROUND Because of hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, diabetic persons have higher cholesterol synthesis and lower cholesterol absorption rates than do nondiabetic persons. Differences in plant sterol efficacy between diabetic and nondiabetic persons have not been examined. OBJECTIVE The objective was to compare the degree of response of plasma lipid concentrations and glycemic control to...

Free and glycosylated sterols localize in the plant cell plasma membrane, where combination with other lipids regulate its structure function. The role of regulating membrane-associated biological processes is more relevant plants like tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), which are predominant sterols. A proper ratio free versus has proven to be essential for performance several species, but almost n...

Waterhyacinth is one of the fastest growing plants which disrupt the ecological balance. The plant inspite of its obnoxious nature, is a source of various pharmacologically active compounds. Sterols were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of waterhyacinth and characterized to be a mixture of stigmasterol and β-sitosterol based on UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR studies. Quantification of the isolate...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether long-term exposure to moderate elevations in plasma plant sterol levels increases risk for atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS In Old Order Amish participants aged 18 to 85 years, with (n=110) and without (n=181) 1 copy of the ABCG8 G574R variant, we compared mean plasma levels of plant sterols and cholesterol precursors and carotid intima-media wall thickness....

Plants contain a rather different range of sterols from animals. Like cholesterol, to which they are related structurally and biosynthetically, plant sterols form a group of triterpenes with a tetracyclic cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene structure and a side chain at carbon 17. The four rings (A, B, C, D) have trans ring junctions, and the side chain and two methyl groups (C-18 and C-19) are at an ang...

Twelve obligate heterozygotes from two kindreds were ascertained through phytosterolemic probands homozygous for molecular defects in the ATP binding cassette (ABC) half transporter, ABCG8. The response of these heterozygotes to a Step 1 diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, and to 2.2 g daily of plant sterols (as esters) was determined in Protocol I (16 weeks) and Protocol II (28 we...

Sterols due to their properties might be considered as valuable products to be employed in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Vegetable oils, namely canola, soyabean and sunflower seed oils, contain considerable quantities of phytosterols, mainly β–sitosterol. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of refining operations, particularly deodorization on this valuable class...

Fatty acids (FAs) and sterols represent the most important fraction of edible oils and fats, which play a significant role in human nutrition and health. A gas chromatographic method for the identification and quantification of FAs and sterols based on the extraction of lipids by accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), saponification of the obtained extract, and direct determination of the isolat...

Sterols are widely distributed in nature. It has been suggested that they be classified into three groups according to their occurrence : (1) zoosterols, the animal sterols (cholesterol, coprosterol) ; (2) phytosterols, the plant or vegetable sterols (sitosterol, stigmasterol) ; and (3) mycosterols, the sterols found in fungi (ergosterol, fungisterol). Although ergosterol has been detected in s...