A rapid method for the preparation of ganglioside Glac2 (GD3).

A method is described for the preparation of ganglioside Glac2 [(II3(NeuAc)2-LacCer, GD3] from cream of bovine milk using liquid-phase extraction with methanol or ethanol followed by anion exchange chromatography. The method is rapid and inexpensive; 1 kg cream, centrifuged from 14-15 L of bovine milk, yields approximately 70 mg of pure ganglioside Glac2. The sialic acid constituent of ganglioside Glac2 isolated from bovine milk cream consists solely of the N-acetylneuraminic acid derivative. The major components of its ceramide consist of octadecasphing-4-enine and the 22:0 (behenic acid) and 23:0 fatty acids.