Sterols are a class of naturally occurring compounds found in plants, animals, and fungi. They are a type of lipid,
structurally similar to cholesterol, and play essential roles in various biological processes.
The most well-known sterol is cholesterol, which is primarily found in animal tissues, but there are several other sterols
with important functions as well.
Plant sterols, also known as phytosterols, are commonly found in the cell membranes of plants. The two main types of plant sterols
are sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol. These sterols have a similar structure to cholesterol but with slight variations.
Plant sterols are naturally present in various plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and oils.
Sterols, both animal and plant-derived, have important physiological functions in the body.
Examples of some common sterols found in herbal leaf extracts are provided below:
Beta-Sitosterol
- This is one of the most prevalent plant sterols found in herbal extracts. It is structurally similar to cholesterol and can be found
in various plant sources, including herbs like saw palmetto, pygeum, and stinging nettle.
Campesterol - This sterol has been investigated for its potential
cholesterol-lowering effects and may contribute to the cardiovascular health benefits associated with plant sterol consumption.
Stigmasterol - Found in various herbal extracts, including those derived from
soybeans, fenugreek, and black cohosh. It has been studied for its potential anti-inflammatory and hormone-modulating effects.
Delta-7-Sitosterol - A plant sterol found in certain herbal extracts, including
those derived from saw palmetto and pumpkin seeds. It is often associated with potential benefits for prostate health.
Other Plant Sterols - Brassicasterol, avenasterol, and stigmastanol,
are examples of other sterols that can be found in herbal leaf extracts.
Examples of some common sterols found in bark are provided below:
Beta-Sitosterol
- A very common plant sterol that has been studied for its potential benefits for heart health and its anti-inflammatory properties.
Stigmasterol - Also found in some bark extracts,
stigmasterol has been researched for its potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Campesterol - This sterol, found in the bark of some trees,
has been studied for its potential cardiovascular benefits.
Cycloartenol - This is a precursor of other plant sterols and is involved in the
biosynthesis of steroidal saponins and other complex molecules in plants.
Below are listed some examples of some seeds in which sterols are found:
Sunflower Seeds
- These seeds contain a significant amount of plant sterols, particularly beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol.
Sesame Seeds - These are
another good source of plant sterols, including beta-sitosterol and campesterol.
Pumpkin Seeds - Contain a variety of plant sterols,
with beta-sitosterol being the most abundant.
Flaxseeds (Linseeds) - Their sterols include beta-sitosterol, campesterol,
and stigmasterol.
Rapeseeds (Canola) - Canola oil, derived from the seeds of the
canola plant, is a rich source of plant sterols, including sitosterol, campesterol, and brassicasterol.
Examples of some sterols found in brown seaweed are listed below:
Fucosterol
- This is one of the most abundant sterols in brown seaweeds. It has been studied for its potential health benefits,
including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Ergosterol - Present in some brown seaweeds,
for example Ecklonia cava, common in Korea and Japan, contains sterols ergosterol as well as fucosterol.
Brassicasterol - Present, alongside fucosterol,
in ascophyllum nodosum (Knotted Wrack).
Campesterol - Found in Sargassum fulvellum, among other brown seaweed species.
Saringosterol - This sterol is also found in Sargassum and has been studied
for its potential health benefits.
24-Methylenecholesterol - Has been found in Sargassum species, such as
Sargassum muticum and Sargassum fusiforme (also known as Hijiki seaweed).
Examples of some sterols found in green seaweed are listed below:
Fucosterol
- While more common in brown seaweeds, fucosterol is also found in some green seaweed species, such as Ulva lactuca.
Cholesterol - This sterol has been detected in
Caulerpa lentillifera (also known as "sea grapes" or "green caviar") and in Codium fragile
(commonly referred to as "green sea fingers" or "dead man's fingers").
Campesterol - Has been found in species such as Ulva lactuca and Caulerpa lentillifera.
Beta-sitosterol - This sterol has been identified in Ulva pertusa.
The extraction process, including the solvents and methods used, can influence the concentration and types of sterols present in the final extract.
It is often the case that a balance needs to be found between fully-extracting all sterols while also ensuring that the compounds that are
obtained are of a high quality and not degraded.
At Celignis we have extensive experience in the design and optimisation of extraction protocols for a wide variety of chemical constituents from
many different biomass types. If needed we can also work on processes to separate and purify the target compounds.
Click here to read more about Celignis's Bioprocess Development Services for the extraction of
chemicals from biomass.
Celignis to Sponsor and Present at Major Biochar Event
The event takes place on May 3rd at Carrick-on-Shannon
We are pleased to announce that, on May 3rd, Celignis will be presenting and exhibiting at the National Biochar and Carbon Products Conference 2023, which is taking place in Carrick-on-Shannon in County Leitrm, Ireland.
This conference is being organised under the auspices of the Interreg Northwest Europe-funded THREE C Project, entitled 'Creating and sustaining Charcoal value chains to promote a Circular Carbon economy in NWE Europe'.
The conference will highlight both Irish stakeholders who are currently working in the biochar and carbon products sector, but also partners from the THREE C project (covering Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium, France and Wales, as well as Ireland) who have interesting stories and products to share.
Read about the wide variety of analysis packages we have for biochar
Click here to read about the different analysis packages that Celignis offers for the evaluation on biochars. These analyses cover properties relevant to a wide variety of applications, including soil amendment, carbon sequestration, bioenergy, and biomaterials.
For a short period we are offering two TGA analyses for the price of one!
To celebrate the arrival of our thermogravimetric (TGA) equipment, we are offering, for a limited time period, two TGA analyses for the price of one. Click here to read more about TGA analyses at Celignis and to see the various packages on offer.
To avail of this special offer please mention the code (TGA-AUGUST) in an email or when placing an order via the Celignis Database.
This 5 minute presentation was given at the recent IBioIC conference
Celignis recently exhibited at IBioiC's annual conference, held in Glasgow on June 6-7.
During that event Lalitha, Celignis's CIO, gave a short 5 minute presentation on the EnXylaScope collaborative EU research project that Celignis is involved in.
You can view the presentation below or here on YouTube.
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