CEREBROSIDE IN RICE GRAIN

Cerebroside (hexosylceramide) was isolated from rice grain, identified and examined for composition of fatty acid, sugar and long-chain base constituents. The cerebroside was observed to contain 12 fatty acids; hydroxyarachidic (59.0%), hydroxylignoceric (19.7%) and hydroxybehenic (10.3%) acids were predominant. Glucose was the only sugar constituent. Three component long-chain bases were found: two were identified as sphingosine (72.9%) and dehydrophytosphin-gosine (17.3%). It is thus suggested that the major species of rice grain cerebroside is N-hydroxyarachidyl-glucosyl-sphingosine.