Literature reports that ingestion of phytosterols and γ-oryzanol contributes to cholesterol lowering. Despite in vivo observations, thermodynamic phase equilibria could explain phenomena occurring during digestion leading to such effects. To advance the observations made by previous literature, this study was aimed at describing the complete solid-liquid phase equilibrium diagrams of cholesterol + phytosterol and γ-oryzanol systems by DSC, evaluating them by powder X-ray, microscopy, and thermodynamic modeling. Additionally, this study evaluated the phenomena observed by an in vitro digestibility method. Results confirmed the formation of solid solution in the cholesterol + phytosterols system at any concentration and that cholesterol + γ-oryzanol mixtures formed stable liquid crystalline phases with a significant melting temperature depression. The in vitro protocol supported the idea that the same phenomena can occur during digestion in which mechanochemical forces were probably the mechanisms promoting cholesterol solid phase changes in the presence of such phytocompounds. In this case, these changes could alter cholesterol solubility and possibly its absorption in the gastrointestinal lumen.
Keywords: cocrystal; liquid crystal; solid solution; solid–liquid phase equilibrium.