Composition of Phytosterols in the Pollen of Typha latifolia L.

Determination was made of phytosterol in the pollen of Typha latifolia L. The n-hexane-soluble fraction obtained from the methanol extract of the pollen was saponified and the unsaponifiable lipid was purified to obtain the fraction of phytosterol. This fraction was trimethylsilylated and analyzed by GC-MS. Six sterols, cholesterol, 24-methylenecholesterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, sitosterol, and isofucosterol, were identified. 24-Methylenecholesterol and isofucosterol are the major sterols in pollen, but T. latifolia pollen contains these sterols in only minor amounts, with β-sitosterol accounting for ca. 85% of total sterols.