Shushichi Takahashi

24S-Chirality of 24-alkylsterols possessing a Δ25-double bond from Polypodium formosanum

Abstract Twenty-one components of the 4,4-dimethyl-, 4-methyl- and 4-demethylsterol fractions of the rhizomes and aerial parts of Polypodium formosanum were identified, including both epimers at C-24 of 24-methylcholest- 5-en-3β-ol. All other 24-alkylsterols were sterically pure. NMR data show that all nine 24-alkyl-Δ25- sterols from this plant have the 24S/β-configuration. Four of these sterols, viz. 24-methyl-25-dehydrocycloartanol, 24-ethyl-25-dehydrocycloartanol, 24-methyl-25-dehydrolophenol and 24-ethyl-25-dehydrolophenol have been misidentified in the literature (they were reported to have the 24R/α-configuration). 24S-Methyl-31-norlanosta-8,25-dien-3β- ol seems to be a novel sterol.

Myofibrils and Meat Texture of Broilers Fed on a Diet of Tochu Leaf Powder

Feeding of Tochu leaf to broiler was done to discover the role of myofibrilar protein and the effects of Tochu on meat toughness. The quality and quantity of myofibrillar protein was the same between Tochu-fed muscle and the controls. The improvement of meat quality should be concluded to be due to collagen as reported before and not due to the myofibrillar proteins.

Sterols and fatty acids of a whisk fernPsilotum nudum

The sterols and fatty acids ofPsilotum nudum were investigated. The 4,4-dimethyl- and 4α-methylsterol fractions contained 24β-methyl-Δ25-unsaturated sterols,viz., cyclolaudenol and 24β-methyl-25-dehydrolophenol, respectively, as dominant sterols among the other components common in vascular plants. 24-Methylcholesterol (mixture of C-24 epimers) and sitosterol constituted the dominant sterols in the 4-demethylsterol fraction. This is the first identification of 24-methylene-5α-lanost-8-en-3β-ol, 24β-methyl-25-dehydrolophenol, codisterol, isofucosterol, 24-methylene-25-methylcholesterol and avenasterol in a fern. The major fatty acids were 16:0, 18:1, 18:2, 18:3 and 20:3. In addition, several C20 fatty acids with various unsaturation were found to be present in low concentrations.