Stigmasterol ((stigmasterol) exists in soybean oil and other soybean oils, sometimes alone, sometimes combined into a glycoside form. Many Chinese medicines such as Bupleurum, ginseng, coltsfoot, etc. also contain it. Stigmasterol is found in Corydalis tubers It exists in the form of D-glucoside. In many traditional Chinese medicines, there are also some zitanol compounds that are similar in structure to and coexist with stigmatol, such as Bupleurum stigma. In addition to stigmasterol, it also contains 7-stigmine; Phellodendron bark contains 7-dehydrostigmine
Stigmasterol can prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and coronary heart disease. Recent studies have shown that soybean alcohol can show a choice when hindering the absorption of cholesterol, and has the effect of reducing the level of cholesterol in the serum, and has almost no effect on the excretion of bile acids. Through cell culture, it was also found that stigmasterol can promote the production of plasmin hormonal factors, which can be used as fibrinolytic triggers to prevent thrombosis. Stigmasterol also has the function of hindering the formation of cancer cells. In recent years, animal experiments have shown that stigmasterol can inhibit colorectal cancer induced by chemical carcinogens.
Another important physiological function of stigmasterol is its antioxidant activity. The mechanism is believed to be that while stigmasterol molecules are oxidized on the surface of oils, they can provide hydrogen atoms to prevent chain growth in oxidation reactions. Stigmasterol can also be combined with lipids and plant growth hormones that can form molecular membranes in water to form a complex of plant hormones and stigmasterol ribonucleoprotein. This complex can increase the environmental temperature of the original plant hormones (including those after entering the human body). Body temperature) and the stability of decomposition in the human body, promote the synthesis of protein, which is conducive to the health and growth of the human body.