Dietary β-sitosterol is more potent in reducing plasma cholesterol than sesamin in hypercholesterolemia hamsters

Plant sterols have become very popular as a health supplement while sesamin is a promising natural compound in management of hypercholesterolemia. The present study was to compare the cholesterollowering potency of sesamin with that of beta-sitosterol in hypercholesterolemia hamsters. Thirty-four hamsters were divided into four groups fed one of four diets namely non-cholesterol diet (NCD), 0.2% cholesterol diet (HCD) or one of two experimental diets containing 0.2% cholesterol with addition of 0.2% sesamin (Se) and 0.2% beta-sitosterol (Si), respectively, for 9 weeks. Plasma total cholesterol (TC) in hamsters given the NCD, HCD, Se and Si diets was 174.7, 340.3, 308.6, and 272.7 mg/dL, respectively, indicating dietary beta-sitosterol had a stronger cholesterol-lowering activity than sesamin. beta-Sitosterol was more effective in decreasing liver cholesterol and increasing the excretion of total fecal sterols compared with sesamin. The in vitro study demonstrated that beta-sitosterol could displace cholesterol from micelle solutions more than sesamin. It was therefore concluded that dietary beta-sitoserol is a better cholesterollowering supplement than sesamin at least in this hamster model. Practical applications: Both sesamin and beta-sitosterol are used as health supplements in management of hypercholesterolemia. The present study compared the potency of sesamin in reducing plasma cholesterol compared with that of beta-sitosterol. Results found that beta-sitosterol exhibited a higher plasmacholesterol lowering activity than sesamin and thus is a more potent hypocholesterolemia supplement.