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Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2023Plant sterols (PS) are cholesterol-like terpenoids widely spread in the kingdom Plantae. Being the target of extensive research for more than a century, PS have topped... (Review)
Review
Plant sterols (PS) are cholesterol-like terpenoids widely spread in the kingdom Plantae. Being the target of extensive research for more than a century, PS have topped with evidence of having beneficial effects in healthy subjects and applications in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. However, many gaps in several fields of PS's research still hinder their widespread practical applications. In fact, many of the mechanisms associated with PS supplementation and their health benefits are still not fully elucidated. Furthermore, compared to cholesterol data, many complex PS chemical structures still need to be fully characterized, especially in oxidized PS. On the other hand, PS molecules have also been the focus of structural modifications for applications in diverse areas, including not only the above-mentioned but also in e.g., drug delivery systems or alternative matrixes for functional foods and fats. All the identified drawbacks are also superimposed by the need of new PS sources and technologies for their isolation and purification, taking into account increased environmental and sustainability concerns. Accordingly, current and future trends in PS research warrant discussion.
Topics: Humans; Phytosterols; Cholesterol; Functional Food; Terpenes
PubMed: 37764302
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28186526 -
World Journal of Microbiology &... Aug 2022Steroidal resource occupies a vital proportion in the pharmaceutical industry attributing to their important therapeutic effects on fertility, anti-inflammatory and... (Review)
Review
Steroidal resource occupies a vital proportion in the pharmaceutical industry attributing to their important therapeutic effects on fertility, anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities. Currently, microbial transformation from phytosterol has become the dominant strategy of steroidal drug intermediate synthesis that bypasses the traditional chemical route. Mycobacterium sp. serve as the main industrial microbial strains that are capable of introducing selective functional modifications of steroidal intermediate, which has become an indispensable platform for steroid biomanufacturing. By reviewing the progress in past two decades, the present paper concentrates mainly on the microbial rational modification aspects that include metabolic pathway editing, key enzymes engineering, material transport pathway reinforcement, toxic metabolic intermediates removal and byproduct reconciliation. In addition, progress on omics analysis and direct genetic manipulation are summarized and classified that may help reform the industrial hosts with more efficiency. The paper provides an insightful present for steroid biomanufacturing especially on the current trends and prospects of mycobacteria.
Topics: Metabolic Engineering; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Mycobacterium; Phytosterols; Steroids
PubMed: 35974205
DOI: 10.1007/s11274-022-03369-3 -
Journal of Agricultural and Food... Mar 2018Plant sterols have attracted increasing attention due to their excellent cholesterol-lowering activity. However, free plant sterols have some characteristics of low oil... (Review)
Review
Plant sterols have attracted increasing attention due to their excellent cholesterol-lowering activity. However, free plant sterols have some characteristics of low oil solubility, water insolubility, high melting point, and low bioavailability, which greatly limit their application in foods. Numerous studies have been undertaken to modify their chemical structures to improve their chemical and physical properties in meeting the needs of various applications. The present review is to summarize the literature and update the progress on structural modifications of plant sterols in the following aspects: (i) synthesis of plant sterol esters by esterification and transesterification with hydrophobic fatty acids and triacylglycerols to improve their oil solubility, (ii) synthesis of plant sterol derivatives by coupling with various hydrophilic moieties to enhance their water solubility, and (iii) mechanisms by which plant sterols reduce plasma cholesterol and the effect of structural modifications on plasma cholesterol-lowering activity of plant sterols.
Topics: Animals; Anticholesteremic Agents; Cholesterol; Esterification; Humans; Molecular Structure; Phytosterols
PubMed: 29521096
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b00059 -
Journal of AOAC International 2015All fruits, vegetables, grains and other plant materials contain small amounts of plant sterols, which are essential for the function of the biological membranes in... (Review)
Review
All fruits, vegetables, grains and other plant materials contain small amounts of plant sterols, which are essential for the function of the biological membranes in living cells. The average human consumption of plant sterols has been estimated to be about 150-350 mg/day and trace amounts of stanols (which are defined as saturated sterols such as sitostanol), but this number varies regionally and is higher for vegetarians. When consumed in the diet, plant sterols reduce the levels of serum cholesterol. In 1995 the first functional food product, Benecol spread (enriched in plant stanol fatty acid esters), was developed by Raisio and marketed, first in Finland and then globally. Since then many other functional food products have been developed and are now available globally. In addition to stanol esters, other functional food products contain plant sterol esters and/or free (unesterified) plant sterols and stanols. In essentially all of the current functional foods that are enriched in sterols and stanols, the feedstock from which the sterols and stanols are obtained is either tall oil (a byproduct/coproduct of the pulping of pine wood) or vegetable oil deodorizer distillate (a byproduct/coproduct of the refining of vegetable oils).
Topics: Anticholesteremic Agents; Food, Fortified; Humans; Phytosterols; Plant Oils; Plants
PubMed: 25942633
DOI: 10.5740/jaoacint.SGEMoreau -
European Heart Journal Jan 2021
Topics: Cholesterol; Coronary Artery Disease; Humans; Phytosterols; Sterols
PubMed: 33184635
DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa881 -
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical... 2015Consumption of plant sterols/ stanols has long been demonstrated to reduce plasma cholesterol levels. The objective of this review is to demonstrate the lipid-lowering... (Review)
Review
Consumption of plant sterols/ stanols has long been demonstrated to reduce plasma cholesterol levels. The objective of this review is to demonstrate the lipid-lowering activity and anti-atherogenic effects of natural and semi-synthetic plant sterols/ stanols based on evidence from cell-culture studies, animal studies and clinical trials. Additionally, this review highlights certain molecular mechanisms by which plant sterols/ stanols lower plasma cholesterol levels with a special emphasis on factors that affect the cholesterol-lowering activity of plant sterols/stanols. The crystalline nature and the poor oil solubility of these natural products could be important factors that limit their cholesterol-lowering efficiency. Several attempts have been made to improve the cholesterol-lowering activity by enhancing the bioavailability of crystalline sterols and stanols. Approaches involved reduction of the crystal size and/or esterification with fatty acids from vegetable or fish oils. However, the most promising approach in this context is the chemical modification of plant sterols /stanols into water soluble disodium ascorbyl phytostanyl phosphates analogue by esterification with ascorbic acid. This novel semi-synthetic stanol derivative has improved efficacy over natural plant sterols/ stanols and can provide additional benefits by combining the cholesterol-lowering properties of plant stanols with the antioxidant potential of ascorbic acid. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see "For Readers") may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue's contents page.
Topics: Animals; Anticholesteremic Agents; Ascorbic Acid; Atherosclerosis; Cholesterol; Humans; Lipids; Phytosterols; Phytotherapy; Solubility
PubMed: 26626241
DOI: 10.18433/j3gc84 -
Food Chemistry Oct 2018Phytosterols can lower LDL-cholesterol and are frequently used by the functional food industry. However, little is known regarding how phytosterol crystallisation can be...
Phytosterols can lower LDL-cholesterol and are frequently used by the functional food industry. However, little is known regarding how phytosterol crystallisation can be controlled, despite solubilised phytosterols having improved bioaccessibility. This study investigates phytosterol crystallisation in bulk milk fat and in model dairy emulsion systems at two average droplet sizes, 1.0 and 0.2 µm. The effect of lecithin and monoacylglycerol addition on phytosterol crystallisation for both emulsion and bulk systems was also evaluated. Results demonstrated that lecithin and monoacylglycerols enrichment into the bulk system minimised phytosterol crystallisation. However, in emulsions, phytosterol crystallisation was mainly influenced by decreasing the droplet size. Smaller emulsion droplets containing lecithin showed the greatest potential for decreasing phytosterol crystallisation and had improved physicochemical stability. This information can be employed by the functional food industry to minimise phytosterol crystallisation and possibly improve bioaccessibility.
Topics: Animals; Crystallization; Emulsions; Lecithins; Microscopy, Polarization; Milk; Molecular Weight; Phytosterols; Surface-Active Agents; Triglycerides
PubMed: 29853371
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.04.026 -
BioMed Research International 2015Squalene is a natural dehydrotriterpenic hydrocarbon (C30H50) with six double bonds, known as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of phytosterol or cholesterol in plants... (Review)
Review
Squalene is a natural dehydrotriterpenic hydrocarbon (C30H50) with six double bonds, known as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of phytosterol or cholesterol in plants or animals. We have briefly reviewed the natural sources for squalene and focused on the main methods and techniques to obtain and to determine it. Some of its applications in different fields of human activity are also mentioned.
Topics: Animals; Biological Factors; Cholesterol; Humans; Phytosterols; Squalene
PubMed: 25695064
DOI: 10.1155/2015/367202 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Apr 2017Phytosterols are naturally occurring compounds in plants, structurally similar to cholesterol. The human diet is quite abundant in sitosterol and campesterol.... (Review)
Review
Phytosterols are naturally occurring compounds in plants, structurally similar to cholesterol. The human diet is quite abundant in sitosterol and campesterol. Phytosterols are known to have various bioactive properties including reducing intestinal cholesterol absorption which alleviates blood LDL-cholesterol and cardiovascular problems. It is indicated that phytosterol rich diets may reduce cancer risk by 20%. Phytosterols may also affect host systems, enabling antitumor responses by improving immune response recognition of cancer, affecting the hormone dependent endocrine tumor growth, and by sterol biosynthesis modulation. Moreover, phytosterols have also exhibited properties that directly inhibit tumor growth, including reduced cell cycle progression, apoptosis induction, and tumor metastasis inhibition. The objective of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on occurrences, chemistry, pharmacokinetics and potential anticancer properties of phytosterols in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, anticancer effects of phytosterols have strongly been suggested and support their dietary inclusion to prevent and treat cancers.
Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Diet; Humans; Neoplasms; Phytosterols
PubMed: 28157655
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.01.068 -
Journal of Natural Products Oct 2018Fifteen new multifunctional conjugates were designed and synthesized by chemically linking the steroidal framework of natural occurring γ-oryzanol and...
Fifteen new multifunctional conjugates were designed and synthesized by chemically linking the steroidal framework of natural occurring γ-oryzanol and γ-oryzanol-derived phytosterols to a wide range of bioactive natural compounds (fatty acids, phenolic acids, amino acids, lipoic acid, retinoic acid, curcumin, and resveratrol). Starting from γ-oryzanol, which is the main component of rice bran oil, this study was aimed at assessing if the conjugation strategy might enhance some γ-oryzanol bioactivities. The antioxidant activity was evaluated through three different mechanisms, namely, DPPH-scavenging activity, metal-chelating activity, and β-carotene-bleaching inhibition. Measurement of the in vitro cell growth inhibitory effects on three different human cancer cellular lines was also carried out, and the potential hypocholesterolemic effect was studied. Compounds 10 and 15 displayed an improved antioxidant activity, with respect to that of γ-oryzanol. Compounds 2, 6, and 12 exerted an antiproliferative activity in the low micromolar range against HeLa and DAOY cells (GI < 10 μM). As for the claimed hypocholesterolemic effect of γ-oryzanol, none of the synthesized compounds inhibited the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, a key enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis.
Topics: Anticholesteremic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Antioxidants; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Chelating Agents; Free Radical Scavengers; Humans; Molecular Structure; Oryza; Phenylpropionates; Phytosterols; Plant Oils; beta Carotene
PubMed: 30360625
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.8b00465