Isolation and Structure of Biologically Active Glycosphingolipids from the Sea CucumberCucumaria echinata

Five cerebrosides, CE-1-1, CE-1-2, CE-1-3, CE-3-1, and CE-3-2, and a ganglioside molecular species CG-1 have been obtained from the less polar and polar fractions, respectively, of the chloroform/methanol extract of the sea cucumber Cucumaria echinata. The structures of these glycosphingolipids have been determined on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. The cerebrosides show lethality toward brine shrimps. On the other hand, the ganglioside CG-1 exhibits neuritogenic activity toward the rat pheochromocytoma cell line, PC-12 cells.