The review deals with results of recent studies on biological activity of C29- and C28-sterols of plant origin (phytosterols) in mammals and in cultured mammalian cells. The review considers the following problems: phytosterols and nutrition; phytosterols and cholesterol level; phytosterols and intestinal absorption of lipids; the role of phytosterols in lipid metabolism regulation; phytosterols and mammalian cells in culture; products of phytosterols oxydation; phytoecdysteroids and induced gene expression.
