Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Biol Chem. Jun 5, 2026; 17(2): 121685
Published online Jun 5, 2026. doi: 10.4331/wjbc.v17.i2.121685
Published online Jun 5, 2026. doi: 10.4331/wjbc.v17.i2.121685
Phytosterols in human health: Biochemical mechanisms of action and disease-modulating effects
Doha Mohamed, Asmaa A Ramadan, Hoda B Mabrok, Ibrahim Hamed, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Food Industries and Nutrition Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo 12622, Egypt
Author contributions: Mohamed D, Ramadan AA, Mabrok HB, and Hamed I contributed equally to the review; All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published.
AI contribution statement: We would like to respectfully clarify that the manuscript was not generated by AI. The scientific content, literature review, interpretation of evidence, and conclusions were prepared by the authors. The manuscript was also professionally edited by a native English language editor, and the editing certificate was uploaded during submission. All reviewer responses, scientific explanations, literature interpretation, and revisions were prepared and evaluated by the authors. AI tools were not used to independently generate scientific responses or academic content. Limited AI-assisted language tools were occasionally used to improve grammar, sentence clarity, readability, and general language expression. All figures and images were prepared by the authors and were not generated using AI tools.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflict of interest in publishing the manuscript.
Corresponding author: Doha Mohamed, PhD, Professor, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Food Industries and Nutrition Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Buhouth Street, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt. dohaabdomohamed@gmail.com
Received: March 30, 2026
Revised: May 3, 2026
Accepted: May 25, 2026
Published online: June 5, 2026
Processing time: 66 Days and 13.6 Hours
Revised: May 3, 2026
Accepted: May 25, 2026
Published online: June 5, 2026
Processing time: 66 Days and 13.6 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Phytosterols are well-established cholesterol-lowering agents, but emerging evidence highlights their broader biological roles. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of molecular mechanisms underlying phytosterol action, including modulation of liver X receptors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, and AMP-activated protein kinase signaling, membrane lipid organization, and gut microbiota-bile acid interactions. These integrated pathways contribute to improved lipid and glucose metabolism, reduced inflammation, and enhanced cardiometabolic health, supporting the po