Phytosterols in Tobacco: Quantitative Analysis and Fate in Tobacco Combustion

The influence of tobacco phytosterols (cholesterol, campesterol, stigmasteroI, b-sitosterol) on the chemical composition and biologicaI activity of tobacco smoke has been of concern to tobacco chemists. Therefore, a relatively simple method, utilizing a 14C-internal standard, chromatography on Sephadex and gas-liquid chromatography, was developed for the quantitative analysis of the phytosterols; this method was applied to the tobacco and smoke (mainstream and sidestream) of cigarettes and cigars to determine the fate of the phytosterols in burning tobacco. About 20 % of the total phytosterol content of tobacco was shown to be transferred intact into the smoke; about 2 % was possibly converted into polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Radioactive tracer and pyrolysis studies were used to determine the nature of the phytosterol degradation products found in the smoke.