Antihypercholesterolemic Studies with Sterols: β-Sitosterol and Stigmasterol

Stigmasterol, which differs from β-sitosterol by unsaturation at C22, was tested for antihypercholesterolemic activity under an experimental protocol that gave the results expected with β-sitosterol and cholestyramine. In terms of serum cholesterol, stigmasterol had a barely significant antihypercholesterolemic effect while exhibiting no obvious effect on the heart or liver. It was concluded that saturation of the side chain, at least at C22, is important in conferring antihypercholesterolemic activity on a sterol.