| abstract |
The object of the present invention is to improve the solubility of sphingoglycolipids having low solubility in water. Disclosed is a lyophilized composition comprising the .alpha.--glycosylceramide represented by the following formula (A) or a salt thereof, a polyoxysorbitan fatty acid ester and disaccharide or monosaccharide, and preferably additional deoxycholic acid or histidine, and a process for preparing it: (see formula A) wherein R1 represents H or OH; X denotes an integer in the range of 7 - 25; R2 represents any one of the substituents -CH2(CH2)Y CH3, -CH(OH)(CH2)Y CH3, -CH(OH)(CH2)Y CH(CH3)2, -CH=CH(CH2)Y CH3, or -CH(OH)(CH2)Y CH(CH3)CH2CH3, wherein Y denotes an integer in the range of 5 - 17; either one of R3 or R4 represents H, and the other represents H, OH, NH2 or NHCOCH3; either one of R5 or R6 represents H, and the other represents OH; either one of R7 or R8 represents H, and the other represents OH; R9 represents H, CH3 or CH2OH. |