Isolation and characterization of seven lyso platelet-activating factors and two lyso phosphatidylcholines from the crude drug "suitetsu" (the leech, Hirudo nipponica).

Nine lyso glycerophospholipids were isolated in the pure state from the crude drug "Suitetsu", which is the dried body of the leech, Hirudo nipponica (Hirudidae). They were identified as 1-O-hexadecyl-(1), 1-O-octadecyl-(2), 1-O-tetradecyl-(3), 1-O-9-cis-hexadecenyl-(4), 1-O-hexadecanoyl-(5), 1-O-pentadecyl-(6), 1-O-15-methylhexadecyl-(7), 1-O-octadecanoyl-(8) and 1-O-heptadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (9). Two of them (5 and 8) are lysophosphatidylcholines and the other seven are lyso platelet-activating factors. One of them has an alkenyl carbon chain.