FREE CERAMIDES OF ECHINOCOCCUS-MULTILOCULARIS METACESTODES

Free ceramides were isolated and purified from the metacestodes of Ech inococcus multilocularis. Two different fractions were obtained by pre parative thin-layer chromatography. Their structure was determined by gas chromatography and electron impact mass spectrometry of trimethyls ilylated derivatives. The ceramide with the higher thin-layer chromato graphic migration rate contained exclusively erythro-sphinganine assoc iated with saturated C-16, C-18 and very-long-chain fatty acids (up to C-30) and unsaturated C-24 fatty acid. The second ceramide contained 90.3% sphingosine and 9.7% sphinganine associated with saturated C-16 and C-24 and unsaturated C-18 and C-24 fatty acids. These findings wer e discussed with regard to the structure and metabolic pathway of neut ral and acid glycosphingolipids found in the metacestodes.