Abstract: The cholesterol,campesterol,stigmasterol and β-sitosterol in 15 samples of flue-cured tobacco leaves and 10 samples of cigarettes were determined. The samples were extracted with acetone,then hydrolyzed in 1% sulfuric acid of ethanol solution,and saponified in 2.0 mol/L potassium hydroxide of alcohol solution,reacted with trimethysilyl chloride and hexamethyldisilazane,and analyzed by capillary gas chromatography.The results showed that:1) the recovery of these sterols ranged from 94.24% to 101.22% with RSD of<5%;2) the contents of stigmasterol and sitosterol were the highest in all of the samples,no matter whether it was tobacco leaves or cigarette of Virginia type or blended type;followed by campesterol,and chomesterol was the lowest;3) the total sterols in tobacco leaves from the same producing area decreased with the elevation of stalk position;4) the total sterols in Virginia type cigarette was higher than that in blended type one;5) for the same type cigarette,the total sterols in domestic cigarette was lower than that in imported one.