Three Glucocerebroside Molecular Species from the Sea Cucumber Apostichopus japonicus

Abstract

Three glucocerebroside molecular species, AJC-1, AJC-2 and AJC-3, have been isolated from the less lipid fraction of the chloroform–methanol extract of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonica by repeated column chromatography. The structures of these glucocerebroside molecular species were determined on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. The composition of three glucocerebrosides (AJC-1, AJC-2 and AJC-3): fatty acids were mainly saturated (C18:0), monounsaturated (C24:1) and α-hydroxyl fatty acids (C24:1h, C23:0h and C22:0h), the structures of long-chain base were dihydroxy (d18:2, d17:1 and d17:0) and trihydroxy (t17:0), and the glycosylation was mainly glucose. Three glucocerebroside molecular species were evaluated for activity in vitro assays for the cytotoxic activities against human colonic cancer cell line (Caco-2).