Beta-Sitosterol Inhibits the Risk of Chronic Inflammation in Vivo

By Kyle J. Norton

Inflammation is the natural response of the immune system macrophages, the first line of defense in stimulating the production of inflammatory cytokines to protect our body against the infection caused by foreign microorganisms during the acute phase of body damage and injury.

Truly, the main focus of inflammation is to repair damage and injury.

Most cases of infection associated with inflammation are stopped at the acute phase. The wound or injury is slowly recovered.

However, overexpression of inflammatory cytokines in most cases can cause improper healing with scar formation or the death of nearby cells.

Any inflammation that lasts more than 3 months is considered chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is the result of the immune system's inability to kill off all the microorganisms participated in the acute phase of infection, leading to the forming of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases such as RA and diabetes.

Inflammation also can be caused by overexpression of free radicals compared to the antioxidant enzymes in the body. This result can lead to an imbalance of the ratio of the levels of free radicals and antioxidants, the major cause of oxidative stress.

However, people with a weakened immune system, acute inflammatory progression cannot be stopped due to the inability of the immune system to destroy all invaders, which may lead to low-grade chronic inflammation.

Epidemiologically, diseases associated with chronic inflammation are asthma, chronic peptic ulcer, tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis, periodontitis, inflammatory bowel inflammatory disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease), sinusitis and hepatitis.

Anti-inflammation is the process that inhibits inflammation or swelling without affecting the immune property to curb foreign pathogens.

Conventionally, the most common use of anti-inflammatory medicines is over counter aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin) and other prescription NSAIDs.

Beta-Sitosterol is a phytochemical in the class of Phytosterols, belongings to the group of Lipids, found abundantly in avocados, rice bran, wheat germ, corn oils, fennel, peanuts, soybeans, hawthorn, basil, buckwheat. etc.

On finding a potential phytochemical for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, researchers examined the topical anti-inflammatory effect of the chloroform extract from Achillea ageratum (Asteraceae) and of stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol on mouse ears edema.

According to the chemical analysis, on 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear edema,* All the doses assayed (1, 3 and 5 mg/ear) significantly reduced the edema (50%, 66%, and 82%, respectively),

* The isolated sterols stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol (with doses of 0.5 mg/ear) had similar effects as those of extract with doses of 1 and 3 mg (59% and 65% respectively).

Furthermore, In the chronic model, the anti-inflammatory effect generally more moderate mice, 

* The highest dose of the extract decreased the edema reduction to 26% with the highest dose of the extract applied, compared to the compounds the effect that decreased to 36% with stigmasterol, and 40.6% with beta-sitosterol.

* Moreover, Myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) associated with oxidative stress was reduced by the extract and the compounds in the acute model,

Based on the evidence, researchers said, "These results indicate that the chloroform extract of Achillea ageratum and some of its components stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol are more effective as topical anti-inflammatory agents in acute than in the chronic process and their action is markedly influenced by the inhibition of neutrophil migration into inflamed tissue".

Taken altogether, beta-Sitosterol may be considered a supplement for the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic inflammation, pending to the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Intake of beta-Sitosterol in the form of supplements should be taken with extreme care to prevent overdose acute liver toxicity.


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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources
(1) Study of the topical anti-inflammatory activity of Achillea ageratum on chronic and acute inflammation models by Gómez MA1, Sáenz MT, García MD, Fernández MA. (PubMed)