Showing chemical card for sitosterol (CFc000337992)
Record Information
Version
1.0
Creation Date
Update Date
2022-09-14 05:32:10 UTC
Chemfont ID
CFc000337992
Molecule Identification
Common Name
sitosterol
Definition
Beta-sitosterol, also known as (3beta)-stigmast-5-en-3-ol or 22,23-dihydrostigmasterol, belongs to stigmastanes and derivatives class of compounds. Those are sterol lipids with a structure based on the stigmastane skeleton, which consists of a cholestane moiety bearing an ethyl group at the carbon atom C24. Thus, beta-sitosterol is considered to be a sterol lipid molecule. Beta-sitosterol is practically insoluble (in water) and an extremely weak acidic compound (based on its pKa). Beta-sitosterol can be synthesized from stigmastane. Beta-sitosterol is also a parent compound for other transformation products, including but not limited to, sitoindoside I, beta-sitosterol glucoside-3'-O-hexacosanoicate, and daucosterol. Beta-sitosterol can be found in a number of food items such as capers, common cabbage, cowpea, and pecan nut, which makes beta-sitosterol a potential biomarker for the consumption of these food products. Beta-sitosterol can be found primarily in blood, feces, and urine, as well as throughout most human tissues. Moreover, beta-sitosterol is found to be associated with short bowel syndrome and sitosterolemia. β-Sitosterol (beta-sitosterol) is one of several phytosterols (plant sterols) with chemical structures similar to that of cholesterol. Sitosterols are white, waxy powders with a characteristic odor. They are hydrophobic and soluble in alcohols .
Belongs to the class of organic compounds known as stigmastanes and derivatives. These are sterol lipids with a structure based on the stigmastane skeleton, which consists of a cholestane moiety bearing an ethyl group at the carbon atom C24.
