Cerebrosides from Longan Arillus

From the pulp of Euphoria longana (Longan Arillus), three cerebroside molecular species have been isolated. Six known cerebrosides, soyacerebrosides I and II, 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(2S,3R,4E,8E)-2-(2'-lignoceroylamino)-4,8-octadecadiene-1,3-diol (longan cerebroside I) and its 8Z isomer (longan cerebroside II), momor-cerebroside I, and phytolacca cerebroside, were identified as major components of these cerebroside molecular species. All the cerebrosides were shown to be a mixture of geometrical isomers (8E and 8Z) of sphingosine-type or phytosphingosine-type glucocerebrosides possessing 2-hydroxy fatty acids. The structures of these cerebrosides have been determined on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence.