Further Metabolism of Plant Sterols

Further Metabolism of Plant Sterols.—Cholesterol in plants can undergo further transformations either with or without side-chain cleavage. The latter include formation of the Cjy-sapogenins, Cj -alkaloids, and of the C27-insect- 

Anding,R. D.Brandt,G.Ourisson,R. J. Price,andM.Rohmer,Proc. Roy.Soc., 1972, B180, II5. T. W. Esders and R. J. Light, /. Biol. Chem., 1972,247,7494. 

Further studies have been carried out on the role of oestrogen-like compounds in plants. The hypothesis that ergosterol peroxide is an artifact arising by attack of singlet oxygen on ergosterol has been further substantiated. A few aspects of the biosynthesis of the cucurbitanes, a class of oxygenated tetracyclic triterpenes, have been reviewed.  

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