Quantitation of Sterols in Some Setaria Plants by Gas Chromatography

The present sterol quantitation was carried out for four Setaria plants by gas chromatography. In S. italica, sitosterol was most abundant in all components and sitostanol accumulated in the seeds much more than other tissues. Stigmasterol accumulation was limited to leaves and stems. Sterol content of S. viridis, S. X pycnocoma and S. glauca were determined. Sitostanol was found present in these plants in less amounts than in S. italica. Major phytosterol content (campesterol, stigmasterol and sitosterol) of S. X pycnocoma was essentially the same as that of S. italica, while S. viridis and S. glauca content differed considerably from S. italica, major sterol content in leaves and stems being much less compared to seeds. These differences in the four Setaria plants are of interest from a chemotaxonomical standpoint.