ANTI-NUTRITIONAL CONSTITUENT OF COLOCASIA ESCULENTA ...

Beta-sitosterol has been successfully used to lower cholesterol levels in humans, with
almost no change in diet or exercise. Many scientific stodies have shown that, because
beta-sitosterol and cholesterol are very similar in chemical composition, beta-sitosteriol
interferes with cholesterol absorption by inlnbiting its absorption in the gut (Ling and
Jones, 1995; Westrate and Meijer, 1998; Hallikainen and Uusitupa, 1999). This lowering
ofcholesterol helps to prevent the surplus rise in serum cholesterol from building up on
the walls ofthe heart arteries.
Bouic et al. (1996) reported on a series of in vivo and in vitro studies which clearly
demonstrate that beta-sitosterol has immunomodulatory properties. Beta-sitosterol both
improves an under-performing immune system to help fight viral and other infections and
also corrects the underlying immune dysfunction of an overactive immune system as in
autoimmune disorders such as arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis, for example, is an
inflammatory disease characterized by dysregulation of the immune system. B­
lymphocytes become overactive and secrete antibodies that destroy synovial tissue ofthe
joint Beta-sitosterol and beta-sitosterol glucoside in combination have been shown to
increase the levels ofT-Helper-l (TH1) cells, down-regulating antIbody production by B­
lymphocytes. The phytosterol mixture also decreased sections of pro-inflammatory
cytokines by macrophages, thereby decreasing inflammation (Calpe-Berdiel et al., 2007).
Sterols have been found to stimulate the body's immune system to fight the infections
which disrupt the lives of HlV-positive patients (Bouic et al. 2001). Scientific reports
have shown that CD4 lymphocyte counts can be maintained by beta-sitosterol and its
glucoside, thereby slowing disease progression (Bouic et al., 1996). The studies also
revealed an important decrease in IL-6 levels, possibly slowing viral replication rates in
infected cells and thereby decreasing viral loads (Bouic, 1997).
Studies show that beta-sitosterol is among the most successful treatments available for
prostate enlargement (Buck et al., 1996; Klippel et al., 1997). The growth of human
prostate cancer cells may be inlnbited by beta-sitosterol: this phytosterol apparently
185