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brassicasterol
EntityQ2700587· pop 12· linked from 22 articles

brassicasterol

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Also known as brassicasterin

Brassicasterol (24-methyl cholest-5,22-dien-3β-ol) is a 28-carbon sterol synthesised by several unicellular algae (phytoplankton) and some terrestrial plants, like rape. This compound has frequently been used as a biomarker for the presence of (marine) algal matter in the environment, and is one of the ingredients in stigmasterol-rich plant sterols (Number E499 in the European numbering system).

~5 min read

Encyclopedic overview

10 sections
Contents
  • Chemical properties
  • Solubility
  • Degradation
  • Chemical analysis
  • Formation and occurrences
  • Algal sources
  • Use as a tracer for marine algae
  • Brassicasterol / cholesterol ratio
  • Multivariate analysis
  • References

Brassicasterol (24-methyl cholest-5,22-dien-3β-ol) is a 28-carbon sterol synthesised by several unicellular algae (phytoplankton) and some terrestrial plants, like rape. This compound has frequently been used as a biomarker for the presence of (marine) algal matter in the environment, and is one of the ingredients in stigmasterol-rich plant sterols (Number E499 in the European numbering system).

There is some evidence to suggest that it may also be a relevant additional biomarker in Alzheimer's disease. More specifically, AD patients have lower levels of this sterol in their cerebrospinal fluid.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “brassicasterol” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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