Ergosterol
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| Ergosterol | |
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| Systematic name | Ergosterol |
| Chemical formula | CxHxNxOx |
| Molecular mass | 396.66 g/mol |
| Density | x.xxx g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 160.0 °C |
| Boiling point | xx.x °C |
| CAS number | [57-87-4] |
| SMILES | xxxx |
| Disclaimer and references | |
Ergosterol (ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol), a sterol, is the biological precursor to Vitamin D2. It is turned into viosterol by ultraviolet light, and is then converted into ergocalciferol, which is a form of Vitamin D.
Ergosterol is a component of fungal cell membranes, serving the same function that cholesterol serves in animal cells. The presence of ergosterol in fungal cell membranes coupled with its absence in animal cell membranes makes it a useful target for antifungal drugs. Ergosterol is also used as a fluidiers in the cell membranes of some protists, such as trypanosomes. This explains the use of some antifungals against West African sleeping sickness.
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