Isolation and identification of natural sterols from Pimpinella affinis

In the present study, Pimpinella affinis was collected from Dodangeh region in Sari (Mazandaran province in Iran). The ethyl acetate extract of leaves of the plant was fractionated byn column chromatography method. THEN,two phytosterols as β-sitosterol (1) and daucosterol (2) were identified using mass (EI-MS) and NMR (1H- NMR and 13C- NMR) spectrometry techniques. These natural sterols have specific biological properties such as anti-HIV, anti-cancer and anti-cholesterol. This study introduced P. affinis as a good source of useful phytosterols. Native people widely use this plant as a vegetable and so the results of this study can be useful for nutrition scientists.