Purification of Commercially Available β‐Sitosterol via Chemical Synthesis. Issue 3 (15th February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zmysłowski, Adam; Sitkowski, Jerzy; Michalska, Katarzyna; Szterk, Arkadiusz
• Is Part Of: European journal of lipid science and technology. Volume 123:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-02-15
• Subjects: β‐sitosterol -- chromatography -- phytosterols -- purification; Oils and fats, Edible -- Periodicals; Lipids -- Periodicals; 660.63
• DOI: 10.1002/ejlt.202000331
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1438-7697

Abstract

Abstract: β‐Sitosterol, a plant sterol, is found to be useful in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries, but is also frequently employed in biological research. In addition to stigmasterol, phytosterols are available as mixtures, and it is challenging to obtain highly pure β‐sitosterol in larger quantities. Two methods for the purification of β‐sitosterol from commercially available phytosterols are presented. Both methods are based on increasing the polarity by either epoxidation or dihydroxylation reactions with the Δ 5–6 double bond of the sterol. The synthesis methods and purification are chosen to be simple with inexpensive and easily obtained reagents and equipment in the laboratory. The purifications described afford β‐sitosterol in gram quantities with high purity (>95%) at 37–39% and 32% yields for epoxidation and dihydroxylation reactions, respectively. The highly pure β‐sitosterol is only available in small quantities, which makes it expensive. The presented methods can be used for obtaining the pure β‐sitosterol in large scale using relatively simple organic chemistry and preparative chromatography. The use of the method may significantly increase the quantity available, which causes a reduction in price and, consequently, increases the number of research and applications available with the use of β‐sitosterol. Abstract : β‐Sitosterol in large quantities is available only as a mixture of phytosterols with additional sterols like stigmasterol, campesterol, and brassicasterol. Here, two methods of synthesis are applied for increasing the polarity of phytosterol by either epoxidation or dihydroxylation reactions. Using the preparative chromatography the methods are used to obtain the pure β‐sitosterol easily and efficiently.