Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology
Online ISSN : 1881-7742
Print ISSN : 0301-4800
ISSN-L : 0301-4800
Antioxidant Effects of Phytosterol and Its Components
Yasukazu YOSHIDAEtsuo NIKI
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JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2003 Volume 49 Issue 4 Pages 277-280

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Abstract

Phytosterol contained in vegetable oils is known to exert a hypocholesterolemic function. In the present study, the antioxidant effects of phytosterol and its components, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol, against lipid peroxidation were examined by making a comparison with 2, 2, 5, 7, 8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol (PMC). It was found that these compounds exerted antioxidant effects on the oxidation of methyl linoleate in solution and its effect decreased in the order of: PMC>>phytosterolcampesterolβ-sitosterol>stigmasterol. Phytosterol also suppressed the oxidation and consumption of α-tocopherol in β-linoleoyl-γ-palmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (PLPC) liposomal membranes, the effects being more significant than dimyristoyl PC of the same concentration. Stigmasterol accelerated the oxidation of both methyl linoleate in solution and PLPC liposomal membranes in aqueous dispersions, which was ascribed to the oxidation of allylic hydrogens at the 21- and 24-positions. Taken together, the present study shows that phytosterol chemically acts as an antioxidant, a modest radical scavenger, and physically as a stabilizer in the membranes.

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