SECTION A: DIRECT RECALL MCQs (Questions 1–25)

1. Steroids are characterized by the presence of:

A. Two fused rings
B. Three fused benzene rings
C. Four fused rings consisting of three cyclohexane rings and one cyclopentane ring
D. One cyclohexane ring
Answer: C

2. The basic steroid nucleus is known as:

A. Cholestane
B. Cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene
C. Lanostane
D. Ergostane
Answer: B

3. Steroids are biosynthesized mainly from:

A. Amino acids
B. Fatty acids
C. Isoprene units
D. Glucose
Answer: C

4. Which of the following is the major precursor of steroids?

A. Mevalonic acid
B. Pyruvic acid
C. Citric acid
D. Succinic acid
Answer: A

5. Steroids belong to which major class of natural products?

A. Alkaloids
B. Glycosides
C. Terpenoids
D. Flavonoids
Answer: C
6. Steroidal compounds are commonly found in:
A. Fungi only
B. Plants and animals
C. Bacteria only
D. Algae only
Answer: B

7. The parent hydrocarbon containing 27 carbon atoms is:

A. Pregnane
B. Cholestane
C. Androstane
D. Estrane
Answer: B

8. Pregnane contains:
A. 18 carbon atoms
B. 19 carbon atoms
C. 21 carbon atoms
D. 27 carbon atoms
Answer: C

9. Androstane contains:
A. 18 carbon atoms
B. 19 carbon atoms
C. 21 carbon atoms
D. 27 carbon atoms
Answer: B

10. Estrane contains:

A. 18 carbon atoms
B. 19 carbon atoms
C. 20 carbon atoms
D. 21 carbon atoms
Answer: A

11. Phytosterols are steroids mainly obtained from:

A. Animals
B. Plants
C. Microorganisms
D. Marine algae only
Answer: B

12. Cholesterol belongs to the group known as:

A. Steroidal alkaloids
B. Phytosterols
C. Zoosterols
D. Cardiac glycosides
Answer: C

13. Which of the following is a common phytosterol?

A. Cholesterol
B. Ergosterol
C. β-Sitosterol
D. Testosterone
Answer: C

14. Ergosterol is mainly found in:

A. Higher plants
B. Animals
C. Fungi
D. Marine fish
Answer: C

15. Steroidal saponins are important because they serve as:

A. Antibiotics
B. Precursors for steroid synthesis
C. Vitamins
D. Enzymes
Answer: B

16. Diosgenin is obtained mainly from:

A. Aloe species
B. Dioscorea species
C. Digitalis species
D. Mentha species
Answer: B
17. Diosgenin is classified as:
A. Steroidal alkaloid
B. Steroidal sapogenin
C. Cardiac glycoside
D. Triterpene
Answer: B

18. Solasodine belongs to the class of:

A. Phytosterols
B. Steroidal alkaloids
C. Triterpenoids
D. Flavonoids
Answer: B

19. Solasodine is commonly obtained from species of:

A. Solanum
B. Aloe
C. Digitalis
D. Eucalyptus
Answer: A

20. Which reagent is commonly used for the identification of steroids?

A. Molisch reagent
B. Liebermann–Burchard reagent
C. Benedict's reagent
D. Fehling's reagent
Answer: B

21. A positive Liebermann–Burchard test produces:

A. Red precipitate
B. Green colour
C. Yellow precipitate
D. Blue fluorescence
Answer: B

22. Steroids are synthesized industrially mainly from:

A. Glucose
B. Steroidal sapogenins
C. Proteins
D. Amino acids
Answer: B

23. Which steroid is widely used as a precursor for corticosteroid synthesis?

A. Cholesterol
B. Diosgenin
C. Ergosterol
D. Testosterone
Answer: B

24. Steroidal alkaloids differ from steroidal sapogenins because they contain:
A. Sulphur
B. Nitrogen
C. Phosphorus
D. Chlorine
Answer: B

25. The principal use of steroidal sapogenins in pharmacy is:

A. As antibiotics
B. As precursors for the manufacture of steroidal drugs
C. As antimalarial drugs
D. As preservatives
Answer: B

SECTION A: DIRECT RECALL MCQs (Questions 26–45)

26. Which of the following is NOT a naturally occurring class of steroids?
A. Phytosterols
B. Zoosterols
C. Mycosterols
D. Flavonosterols
Answer: D

27. The major sterol present in animals is:

A. β-Sitosterol
B. Ergosterol
C. Cholesterol
D. Campesterol
Answer: C

28. Which sterol is abundant in fungi and yeast?

A. Cholesterol
B. Ergosterol
C. Stigmasterol
D. Campesterol
Answer: B

29. β-Sitosterol is mainly isolated from:

A. Animal tissues
B. Higher plants
C. Marine organisms
D. Bacteria
Answer: B

30. Stigmasterol belongs to the group known as:

A. Zoosterols
B. Mycosterols
C. Phytosterols
D. Steroidal alkaloids
Answer: C

31. The common structural feature of all steroids is:

A. A nitrogen-containing heterocycle
B. Four fused carbon rings
C. Two benzene rings
D. A peptide backbone
Answer: B

32. The steroid nucleus consists of:

A. Four cyclohexane rings
B. Three cyclohexane rings and one cyclopentane ring
C. Two cyclohexane and two cyclopentane rings
D. Three cyclopentane rings and one cyclohexane ring
Answer: B
33. Steroidal sapogenins are obtained by hydrolysis of:
A. Steroidal alkaloids
B. Steroidal saponins
C. Cardiac glycosides
D. Flavonoids
Answer: B

34. Diosgenin is commercially important because it is used for the synthesis of:
A. Antibiotics
B. Steroid hormones
C. Vitamins
D. Alkaloids
Answer: B

35. Which one of the following contains nitrogen in its structure?

A. Diosgenin
B. β-Sitosterol
C. Solasodine
D. Cholesterol
Answer: C

36. Steroidal alkaloids occur predominantly in plants belonging to the genus:

A. Solanum
B. Cinnamomum
C. Eucalyptus
D. Digitalis
Answer: A

37. Which of the following is used as a starting material in the industrial production of
corticosteroids?
A. Glucose
B. Diosgenin
C. Citric acid
D. Cellulose
Answer: B

38. The Liebermann–Burchard test is primarily used to detect:

A. Alkaloids
B. Steroids and triterpenoids
C. Flavonoids
D. Tannins
Answer: B

39. Steroids are biosynthesized through the:

A. Shikimic acid pathway
B. Mevalonate pathway
C. Glycolytic pathway
D. Pentose phosphate pathway
Answer: B

40. The immediate precursor of steroid biosynthesis is:

A. Mevalonic acid
B. Lactic acid
C. Oxaloacetic acid
D. Acetic acid
Answer: A

41. Steroids are generally derived biosynthetically from:

A. Phenylalanine
B. Isoprene units
C. Glycine
D. Pyruvate
Answer: B

42. Which of the following is an example of a phytosterol?

A. Cholesterol
B. Testosterone
C. Campesterol
D. Cortisol
Answer: C

43. The principal medicinal importance of steroidal sapogenins is that they:

A. Act as antibiotics
B. Serve as intermediates in steroid drug manufacture
C. Are used as preservatives
D. Function as antioxidants
Answer: B

44. Steroidal compounds are pharmacologically important because many function as:
A. Hormones
B. Vitamins only
C. Carbohydrates
D. Enzymes
Answer: A

45. Which statement best describes steroids?

A. They are nitrogen-containing glycosides.
B. They are tetracyclic terpenoid derivatives biosynthesized from isoprene units.
C. They are aromatic phenolic compounds.
D. They are peptide-derived metabolites.
Answer: B

SECTION B: HIGHER-ORDER MCQs (Questions 46–70)

46. A pharmacognosist isolates a steroid from a plant that gives a positive Liebermann–
Burchard test but contains no nitrogen. The compound is most likely:
A. Solasodine
B. Diosgenin
C. Nicotine
D. Morphine
Answer: B

47. Which characteristic best distinguishes steroidal alkaloids from steroidal

sapogenins?
A. Presence of an aromatic ring
B. Presence of nitrogen
C. Presence of sulphur
D. Presence of phosphorus
Answer: B

48. During industrial steroid synthesis, diosgenin is preferred because it:

A. Is directly pharmacologically active
B. Possesses a steroid nucleus suitable for chemical modification
C. Is highly water-soluble
D. Is an alkaloid
Answer: B

49. If a natural product has a cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene nucleus, it should be

classified as:
A. Flavonoid
B. Steroid
C. Alkaloid
D. Coumarin
Answer: B

50. Ergosterol differs from β-sitosterol mainly because it is obtained from:

A. Animals
B. Fungi
C. Higher plants
D. Marine algae
Answer: B

51. Which biosynthetic pathway is common to both steroids and other terpenoids?
A. Shikimate pathway
B. Mevalonate pathway
C. Glycolytic pathway
D. Pentose phosphate pathway
Answer: B

52. A compound isolated from Solanum species contains a steroid nucleus and nitrogen.
It is most likely:
A. Campesterol
B. Solasodine
C. Cholesterol
D. Ergosterol
Answer: B

53. Which property makes phytosterols suitable starting materials for semisynthetic
steroid drugs?
A. High protein content
B. Structural similarity to steroid hormones
C. High carbohydrate content
D. Presence of peptide bonds
Answer: B

54. A positive Liebermann–Burchard reaction indicates the presence of:

A. Amino acids
B. Unsaturated steroid or triterpenoid nucleus
C. Reducing sugars
D. Proteins
Answer: B

55. Which statement best explains why diosgenin is commercially valuable?

A. It is an antibiotic.
B. It serves as a precursor for synthesizing steroid hormones.
C. It is a cardiac glycoside.
D. It is a vitamin precursor.
Answer: B

56. A steroid isolated from an animal source is most likely:

A. Ergosterol
B. Cholesterol
C. Stigmasterol
D. Diosgenin
Answer: B

57. Which feature is common to cholesterol, β-sitosterol, and ergosterol?

A. Nitrogen atom
B. Steroid nucleus
C. Glycosidic linkage
D. Sulphur atom
Answer: B

58. The principal role of steroidal sapogenins in pharmaceutical industries is:

A. Direct treatment of infections
B. Manufacture of corticosteroids and sex hormones
C. Treatment of malaria
D. Production of antibiotics
Answer: B

59. A compound isolated from a plant hydrolyzes to yield diosgenin. The original
compound was most likely a:
A. Steroidal saponin
B. Steroidal alkaloid
C. Flavonoid
D. Coumarin
Answer: A

60. Which class of steroids naturally occurs in fungi?

A. Zoosterols
B. Mycosterols
C. Phytosterols
D. Cardiac steroids
Answer: B

61. Which structural feature is essential for classifying a compound as a steroid?

A. Benzene ring
B. Four fused rings
C. Pyridine ring
D. Indole nucleus
Answer: B

62. The biosynthesis of steroids ultimately depends upon:

A. Amino acid metabolism
B. Isoprene unit condensation
C. Protein degradation
D. Carbohydrate polymerization
Answer: B

63. A pharmacist receives two compounds: one is cholesterol and the other β-sitosterol.
Their major difference is:
A. Both belong to different chemical classes.
B. One is primarily animal-derived while the other is plant-derived.
C. One contains nitrogen.
D. One lacks a steroid nucleus.
Answer: B

64. Which compound would most likely serve as a pharmaceutical precursor for
corticosteroid production?
A. Solasodine
B. Diosgenin
C. Nicotine
D. Quinine
Answer: B

65. Steroidal alkaloids are chemically distinguished from sterols because they:
A. Lack fused rings
B. Contain nitrogen in their molecules
C. Contain sulphur
D. Lack oxygen
Answer: B

66. Which statement correctly relates steroid biosynthesis to pharmacognosy?

A. Steroids originate from protein metabolism.
B. Steroids are terpenoid derivatives synthesized through the mevalonate pathway.
C. Steroids arise from flavonoid biosynthesis.
D. Steroids originate from polysaccharides.
Answer: B

67. The pharmaceutical significance of plant steroidal sapogenins is primarily due to:
A. Their antimicrobial activity
B. Their value as raw materials for semisynthetic steroid drugs
C. Their antioxidant activity
D. Their nutritional value
Answer: B

68. Which of the following would NOT be expected to give a positive Liebermann–
Burchard test?
A. Cholesterol
B. β-Sitosterol
C. Diosgenin
D. Morphine
Answer: D

69. Why are steroidal alkaloids considered chemically unique among steroids?
A. They contain aromatic rings.
B. They possess nitrogen in addition to the steroid skeleton.
C. They are carbohydrates.
D. They lack four fused rings.
Answer: B

70. A natural product chemist identifies a compound with a steroid nucleus, no nitrogen,
and usefulness in industrial hormone synthesis. The compound is most likely:
A. Solasodine
B. Diosgenin
C. Morphine
D. Quinine
Answer: B

.
SECTION B: HIGHER-ORDER MCQs (Questions 71–95)
71. A phytochemist isolates a compound from Dioscorea species that lacks nitrogen but
serves as an industrial precursor for corticosteroids. The compound is best classified as:
A. Steroidal alkaloid
B. Steroidal sapogenin
C. Phytosterol
D. Cardiac glycoside
Answer: B

72. Which sequence correctly represents the biosynthetic origin of steroids?

A. Amino acid → Mevalonate → Steroid
B. Acetate → Mevalonic acid → Isoprene units → Steroids
C. Glucose → Pyruvate → Steroids
D. Fatty acid → Cholesterol → Mevalonate
Answer: B
73. Which statement best explains why cholesterol is regarded as the parent sterol in
animals?
A. It contains nitrogen.
B. It serves as the precursor of many biologically important steroids.
C. It is found only in plants.
D. It gives a negative Liebermann–Burchard test.
Answer: B

74. A natural product gives a green colour with Liebermann–Burchard reagent and is
isolated from yeast. The compound is most likely:
A. Campesterol
B. Ergosterol
C. Cholesterol
D. Diosgenin
Answer: B

75. Which pair correctly matches the steroid class with its natural source?
A. Ergosterol — Animals
B. Cholesterol — Plants
C. β-Sitosterol — Higher plants
D. Diosgenin — Animals
Answer: C

76. Steroidal alkaloids are pharmaceutically important because they:

A. Are used as carbohydrates.
B. Serve as precursors for steroidal drugs after appropriate modification.
C. Are proteins.
D. Are vitamins.
Answer: B
77. The major advantage of obtaining steroid hormones from plant sapogenins rather
than direct animal extraction is:
A. Greater structural complexity
B. Easier and economical industrial production
C. Lower biological activity
D. Greater protein content
Answer: B

78. Which property is common to cholesterol, ergosterol, campesterol and β-sitosterol?

A. Presence of nitrogen
B. Steroid nucleus
C. Glycosidic linkage
D. Aromatic ring
Answer: B

79. Which structural feature primarily distinguishes steroidal alkaloids from

phytosterols?
A. Five-membered ring
B. Nitrogen atom
C. Hydroxyl group
D. Double bond
Answer: B

80. Which compound would most likely be selected as the best starting material for the
commercial synthesis of corticosteroids?
A. Campesterol
B. Diosgenin
C. Ergosterol
D. Cholesterol
Answer: B
81. A student incorrectly classifies diosgenin as a steroidal alkaloid. Which
characteristic disproves this classification?
A. It possesses four fused rings.
B. It lacks nitrogen.
C. It contains oxygen.
D. It is obtained from plants.
Answer: B

82. Steroidal sapogenins become pharmacologically valuable mainly after:

A. Glycosylation
B. Chemical modification during industrial synthesis
C. Oxidation by plants
D. Hydrolysis by microorganisms
Answer: B

83. Which of the following would most strongly indicate that an unknown compound
belongs to the steroid family?
A. Positive Molisch test
B. Positive Liebermann–Burchard test together with a tetracyclic nucleus
C. Positive Fehling's test
D. Presence of amino acids
Answer: B

84. Which statement correctly differentiates phytosterols from zoosterols?

A. Phytosterols contain nitrogen.
B. Phytosterols occur mainly in plants, whereas zoosterols occur mainly in animals.
C. Zoosterols are carbohydrates.
D. Phytosterols lack four fused rings.
Answer: B
85. Which pharmacognostic property makes steroidal sapogenins valuable despite
having limited direct therapeutic use?
A. They are antibiotics.
B. They are industrial precursors of steroidal medicines.
C. They are vitamins.
D. They are proteins.
Answer: B

86. Which of the following groups is correctly arranged according to their major
natural occurrence?
A. Cholesterol—Plants; Ergosterol—Animals
B. Ergosterol—Fungi; β-Sitosterol—Plants
C. Campesterol—Animals; Cholesterol—Fungi
D. Diosgenin—Animals; Ergosterol—Plants
Answer: B

87. Which feature contributes most to the remarkable biological activity of steroid
hormones?
A. High molecular weight
B. Steroid nucleus with specific functional group substitutions
C. Nitrogen atom
D. Glycosidic linkage
Answer: B

88. Industrial synthesis of corticosteroids from diosgenin demonstrates the importance

of:
A. Semisynthesis
B. Fermentation only
C. Protein engineering
D. Polymerization
Answer: A
89. A pharmacist identifies an unknown steroid that contains nitrogen and originates
from Solanum. The compound is most likely:
A. Ergosterol
B. Cholesterol
C. Solasodine
D. Campesterol
Answer: C

90. Which statement best summarizes the pharmaceutical importance of phytosterols?

A. They are directly used as antibiotics.
B. They lower blood glucose.
C. They provide raw materials for steroid drug manufacture.
D. They are major vitamins.
Answer: C

91. Which combination correctly matches the compound with its pharmaceutical
significance?
A. Cholesterol — Antibiotic
B. Diosgenin — Steroid precursor
C. Ergosterol — Alkaloid precursor
D. Solasodine — Carbohydrate
Answer: B

92. The presence of a cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene nucleus suggests that a

compound belongs to which class?
A. Alkaloids
B. Steroids
C. Flavonoids
D. Coumarins
Answer: B
93. Which factor best explains the continued pharmaceutical interest in naturally
occurring steroidal compounds?
A. They are abundant proteins.
B. Their basic skeleton can be chemically transformed into numerous therapeutic steroids.
C. They are inexpensive carbohydrates.
D. They possess peptide bonds.
Answer: B

94. Which of the following represents the correct relationship between steroidal
saponins and sapogenins?
A. Sapogenins are glycosides of saponins.
B. Hydrolysis of steroidal saponins yields steroidal sapogenins.
C. Sapogenins contain sugar moieties.
D. Saponins are produced by hydrolysis of sapogenins.
Answer: B

95. Which statement provides the most comprehensive description of pharmacognostic

steroids?
A. Steroids are nitrogenous secondary metabolites occurring only in plants.
B. Steroids are tetracyclic terpenoid compounds biosynthesized through the mevalonate
pathway and include sterols, steroidal sapogenins, and steroidal alkaloids that are valuable
natural precursors for numerous pharmaceutical agents.
C. Steroids are aromatic compounds synthesized from amino acids.
D. Steroids are carbohydrate derivatives found exclusively in fungi.
Answer: B.

Marker Degradation MCQs (96–115)

96. Marker degradation is primarily employed to convert which naturally occurring
compound into useful steroid intermediates?
A. Cholesterol
B. Diosgenin
C. Ergosterol
D. Campesterol
Answer: B

97. The principal objective of Marker degradation is to:

A. Increase the molecular weight of steroids
B. Convert steroidal sapogenins into intermediates for hormone synthesis
C. Produce cardiac glycosides
D. Introduce nitrogen into steroid molecules
Answer: B

98. The first chemical change during Marker degradation mainly involves:
A. Reduction of the steroid nucleus
B. Opening of the spiroketal side chain
C. Hydrogenation of double bonds
D. Cleavage of ring A
Answer: B

99. Which reagent is required to initiate the first stage of Marker degradation?
A. Chromium trioxide
B. Acetic anhydride
C. Sodium hydroxide
D. Hydrochloric acid
Answer: B

100. During the initial reaction, acetic anhydride primarily functions to:
A. Oxidize the steroid nucleus
B. Acetylate hydroxyl groups while promoting ring opening
C. Remove carbon atoms
D. Reduce carbonyl groups
Answer: B
101. Which structural feature of diosgenin is modified first during Marker
degradation?
A. Cyclopentane ring
B. Cyclohexane ring A
C. Spiroketal side chain
D. Carbonyl group
Answer: C

102. After the first reaction step, the steroid nucleus remains:
A. Completely destroyed
B. Chemically unchanged
C. Aromatic
D. Converted into a triterpene
Answer: B

103. Which reagent is responsible for oxidative cleavage in Marker degradation?

A. Potassium permanganate
B. Chromium trioxide
C. Hydrogen peroxide
D. Sodium borohydride
Answer: B

104. The main purpose of oxidative cleavage is to:

A. Form glycosides
B. Shorten the steroid side chain
C. Introduce nitrogen
D. Saturate double bonds
Answer: B

105. Which portion of the molecule is primarily removed during oxidation?

A. Steroid nucleus
B. Extra carbon atoms of the side chain
C. Hydroxyl group at C-3
D. Cyclopentane ring
Answer: B

106. Which functional group remains protected until the final hydrolysis step?
A. Ketone
B. Aldehyde
C. Acetate ester
D. Carboxylic acid
Answer: C

107. Hydrolysis during the final stage is commonly achieved using:

A. Ethanolic sodium hydroxide
B. Concentrated sulfuric acid
C. Sodium chloride solution
D. Potassium dichromate
Answer: A

108. The major product obtained after completion of Marker degradation is:
A. Cholesterol
B. 16-Dehydropregnenolone
C. Ergosterol
D. Testosterone
Answer: B

109. Which industrial product is commonly prepared from 16-dehydropregnenolone?

A. Alkaloids
B. Steroid hormones
C. Cardiac glycosides
D. Flavonoids
Answer: B

110. Which statement best explains the pharmaceutical importance of Marker

degradation?
A. It increases the biological activity of diosgenin.
B. It provides an economical route for manufacturing steroid hormones.
C. It converts steroids into alkaloids.
D. It synthesizes vitamins from cholesterol.
Answer: B

111. Why is diosgenin considered an excellent starting material for Marker

degradation?
A. It contains peptide bonds.
B. Its carbon skeleton closely resembles that of steroid hormones.
C. It contains several aromatic rings.
D. It is highly water-soluble.
Answer: B

112. Which sequence correctly represents the major reactions involved in Marker
degradation?
A. Reduction → Oxidation → Polymerization
B. Acetylation/Ring opening → Oxidative cleavage → Hydrolysis
C. Hydrolysis → Reduction → Acetylation
D. Oxidation → Reduction → Esterification
Answer: B

113. During Marker degradation, the steroid nucleus is preserved because:

A. Only the side chain undergoes major chemical modification.
B. The nucleus is resistant to all reagents.
C. The reagents selectively destroy aromatic rings.
D. The nucleus is removed and later regenerated.
Answer: A

114. A pharmaceutical chemist aims to synthesize corticosteroids from a plant-derived

sapogenin. Which process would be most appropriate?
A. Hydrolysis of starch
B. Marker degradation
C. Steam distillation
D. Fischer esterification
Answer: B

115. Which statement best summarizes Marker degradation?

A. It converts steroidal alkaloids into proteins.
B. It chemically transforms diosgenin into valuable intermediates for steroid drug synthesis
by modifying its side chain while retaining the steroid nucleus.
C. It converts cholesterol into flavonoids.
D. It destroys the steroid framework to produce simple ketones.
Answer: B

Steroid Ring Junctions MCQs (116–125)

116. The overall three-dimensional shape of a steroid molecule is primarily determined
by:
A. The number of hydroxyl groups
B. The way the four rings are fused together
C. The molecular weight
D. The number of carbon atoms
Answer: B

117. In the most common naturally occurring steroid arrangement, rings A, B, and C
predominantly adopt:
A. Boat conformations
B. Twist-boat conformations
C. Chair conformations
D. Envelope conformations
Answer: C

118. Which steroid ring junction exhibits the greatest variability in natural steroids?
A. B/C junction
B. C/D junction
C. A/B junction
D. All ring junctions are equally variable
Answer: C

119. A steroid possessing a trans A/B ring junction is characterized by the presence of:
A. 5β-hydrogen
B. 5α-hydrogen
C. 17β-hydrogen
D. 3α-hydrogen
Answer: B

120. A cis A/B ring junction is associated with:

A. A relatively flat molecular shape
B. A bent steroid nucleus
C. Aromaticity of ring A
D. Cleavage of the D ring
Answer: B

121. The B/C ring junction in naturally occurring steroids is:

A. Usually cis
B. Variable
C. Always trans
D. Always aromatic
Answer: C

122. The trans configuration of the B/C ring junction contributes mainly to:
A. Increased molecular flexibility
B. A rigid, relatively flat steroid backbone
C. Formation of glycosides
D. Increased water solubility
Answer: B

123. Which statement correctly describes the C/D ring junction in most naturally
occurring steroids?
A. It is always cis.
B. It is almost always trans.
C. It is highly variable.
D. It is absent.
Answer: B

124. Which class of steroidal compounds represents an important exception by

commonly possessing a cis C/D ring junction?
A. Phytosterols
B. Steroidal alkaloids
C. Cardiac glycosides
D. Steroidal saponins
Answer: C

125. A steroid molecule containing a trans A/B junction, trans B/C junction, and trans
C/D junction would most likely exhibit which overall characteristic?
A. Highly flexible structure
B. Flat, rigid molecular framework suitable for receptor binding
C. Open-chain conformation
D. Completely symmetrical molecule
Answer: B

126. In steroid nomenclature, a substituent designated as β (beta) is oriented:

A. Below the plane of the steroid nucleus
B. Above the plane of the steroid nucleus
C. Within the plane of the steroid nucleus
D. Perpendicular to ring D only
Answer: B

127. In naturally occurring steroids, a substituent with an α (alpha) configuration

projects:
A. Above the plane of the steroid nucleus
B. Below the plane of the steroid nucleus
C. Parallel to the side chain
D. Along the C-17 side chain
Answer: B

128. Which statement correctly distinguishes α and β configurations in steroid

structures?
A. α and β indicate different functional groups.
B. α and β describe the stereochemical orientation of substituents relative to the plane of the
steroid nucleus.
C. α and β indicate the number of carbon atoms in the steroid.
D. α and β distinguish saturated from unsaturated steroids.
Answer: B

129. A hydroxyl group described as 17β-OH is positioned:

A. Below the plane of the steroid nucleus
B. Above the plane of the steroid nucleus
C. Within the plane of ring D
D. On the opposite side of the side chain
Answer: B

130. Why is the distinction between α and β configurations important in steroid

chemistry?
A. It determines the molecular formula.
B. It influences the three-dimensional shape and biological activity of steroids.
C. It determines the molecular weight.
D. It changes the number of fused rings.
Answer: B

MCQ 1
Ergosterol has a side chain of:
A. 8 carbons
B. 9 carbons
C. 10 carbons
D. 12 carbons
Answer: B

MCQ 2
Cholesterol contains a side chain of:
A. 8 carbons
B. 9 carbons
C. 10 carbons
D. 11 carbons
Answer: A

MCQ 3
Stigmasterol is characterized by a:
A. 8-carbon side chain
B. 9-carbon side chain
C. 10-carbon side chain
D. 12-carbon side chain
Answer: C

MCQ 4
Diosgenin is best known for having:
A. Aromatic ring system
B. Spiroketal structure
C. Long saturated hydrocarbon chain
D. No oxygen atoms
Answer: B

MCQ 5
How many double bonds are present in ergosterol (as per given structure)?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
Answer: C

MCQ 6
Stigmasterol contains how many double bonds?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
Answer: B

MCQ 7
Cholesterol is correctly described as having:
A. 10-carbon side chain
B. 9-carbon side chain
C. 8-carbon side chain
D. Spiroketal ring
Answer: C
MCQ 8
Which sterol has a 9-carbon side chain?
A. Cholesterol
B. Ergosterol
C. Stigmasterol
D. Diosgenin
Answer: B

MCQ 9
Which compound contains a 10-carbon side chain and 2 double bonds?
A. Ergosterol
B. Cholesterol
C. Stigmasterol
D. Lanosterol
Answer: C

MCQ 10
The compound characterized by a spiroketal system is:
A. Ergosterol
B. Cholesterol
C. Stigmasterol
D. Diosgenin
Answer: D