Abstract:
The present invention relates to a sodium salt of sialosyl cholesterol. The present compound has an excellent high water solubility, and therefore the compound is very useful as a medicine to be used for treating various diseases derived from lesions of peripheral or central nerves.

Description:
This is a division of application Ser. No. 07/150,647, filed on Jan. 7, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,239. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Use 
     The present invention relates to sialosyl cholesterol, in particular sialosyl cholesterol which is useful as an agent for treating various diseases derived from lesions of peripheral nerves and central nerves. 
     2. Description of the Background 
     So far, it has been known in the art that sialic acid is present in many animal bodies and on the cell surface of several bacteria as a sialylated molecular complex, for example, glycoprotein, glycolipid, oligosaccharide or polysaccharide. 
     Recently, this compound has been thought to be important medicinally and pharmaceutically for nerve function, cancer, inflamation, immunity, viral infection, differentiation, hormone receptor, and others. Further, much attention has been paid to this compound as a peculiar active substance located on the cell surface. However, the role of sialic acid in the sialylated molecular complex has not yet been ascertained. 
     Furthermore, this compound has been studied by many natural organic chemists and many kinds of derivatives thereof have been obtained. However, no derivatives having a remarkable physiological activity have been obtained yet. 
     Further, the average span of human life has been indeed extended by various improvements in medical treatment of malignant tumor of hematopoietic organ, many kinds of cancers, and collagen disease. However, these improvements have inevitably increased use of medicines such as adrenal cortical hormone, immunosuppressant, etc. Therefore, a number of undersirable side effects such as decrease in immunological competence have arisen. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present inventors have paid special attention to sialic acid which is a bio-inherent component and have made intensive studies on immuno-controlling agents which have substantially no side effects and exhibit a controlling activity for immunological surveillance and are obtained by chemically modifying sialic acid. As a result, the present inventors have prepared sialosyl cholesterol which is useful as a neuropathy remedy. This is based on the finding that the present sialosyl cholesterol promotes growth of the neurites of neuroblastoma cells derived from mouse (Neuro 2a), when the activity of the sialosyl cholesterol is examined by adding it to the culture of Neuro 2a. 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a new sialosyl cholesterol. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a new process for producing sialosyl cholesterol. 
     Another object of the present invention is to a new neuropathy remedy. 
     Incidentally, since the present sialosyl cholesterol is present in an Na salt form, the cholesterol has an excellent water-solubility and makes the utility of the cholesterol wider. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention relates to the compound having the following general formula (4): ##STR1## or the formula (5): ##STR2## 
     The present invention also relates to a process for producing the compound (4) or (5), which comprising reacting a compound (1) having a general formula (1): ##STR3## with cholesterol, to produce a compound having a general formula (2): ##STR4## or the formula (3): ##STR5## and then hydrolyzing the compound (2) or (3). 
     Further, the present invention relates to a neuropathy remedy containing the compound (4) or (5). 
     The present invention will be explained in detail below. 
     First, a process for producing the compound (4) or (5) will be summarized by the following scheme: ##STR6## 
     The compound (1) to be used in the present invention is a known compound, and is commercially available. 
     In the above reaction, the compound (1) is reacted with cholesterol in the presence of a Koenigs-Knorr catalyst at about 20° to 25° C. under a normal pressure for about 1 to 7 days. In this case, cholesterol is reacted with the compound (1) at a molar ratio of about one to 5 moles of cholesterol to 1 mole of the compound (1). 
     The catalyst covers mercuric bromide, mercuric cyanide, silver perchlorate, silver trifluoromethanesulfonate, silver trifluoroacetate, and others. The catalyst is used in an amount of about 1.0 to 1.2 equivalent per one equivalent of the compound (1). 
     Solvents to be used in the present invention comprise acetonitrile, nitromethane, acetone, benzene, tetrahydrofuran, dichloromethane, and others. Among them, benzene, dichloromethane, and tetrahydrofuran are preferable solvents. In the present invention, a desiccant may be used. As a desiccant, Drierite or Molecular sieve 4A can be used. 
     The resultant compounds (2) and (3) are separated and purified by a conventional method such as a column chromatography. 
     The compounds are then hydrolyzed to convert their methoxy carbonyl groups into sodium carboxyl groups and convert their acetyl groups into hydrogen groups. By this hydrolysis, the compounds (4) and (5) can be produced. This hydrolysis is generally conducted by a conventional method. For example, the hydrolysis is conducted at about 15° to 25° C. for about 5 to 15 hours by treating the compounds with an alkaline solution at a concentration of about 1 to 3 N. 
     The present compound can be orally administered. However, it is preferable that the compound is administered by eye application, by inhalation, by intramuscular injection, by subcutaneous injection, or by intravenous injection. The administration amount varies depending on a degree of a disease and the weight of a patient. However, it is preferable that the amount is 0.001 to 10 mg. 
     EXAMPLE 
     The present invention will be explained in more detail by reference to the examples. 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     Synthesis of Methyl 5-Acetoamide-4,7,8,9-Tetra-O-Acetyl-2-O-Acetyl-2-O-(5-Cholesten-3-beta-yl)-3,5-Dideoxy-alpha -D-Glycero-D-Galacto-2-Nonulopyranosonate 
     0.77 g of cholesterol (2 m mol) which had been previously fully dried was dissolved in 10 ml of a solvent such as dried methylene chloride. After 0.5 g of Molecular sieve 4A which had been previously dried under vacuum at high temperature, was added to the cholesterol solution, the resultant mixture was stirred for 30 min. to one hour at room temperature in an argon stream. To this mixture, 1.02 g (2 m mol) of the compound (1) was added, and then 2 to 2.4 m mol of silver trifluoromethanesulfonate was added. Then, the resultant mixture was stirred for one night at room temperature under inclined light, to conduct the reaction. 
     The reaction solution was filtered by Celite. The silver salt was removed by saturated salt solution. The mixture was dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate, etc. Then, the solvent was distilled off by vacuum, to produce white solid. 
     The white solid was subjected to a column chromatography (silica gel), to separate the compounds (2) and (3) and purify them. 0.56 g (33%) of the compound (2) and 0.55 g (32%) of the compound (3) were obtained. 
     Physical properties of the compound (2): 
     Mass (EI) m/z 860 (M+1), 800 (M-59) 
     Elemental analysis (%) C 47  H 73  O 13  N Calculation C=65.63, H=8.55, N=1.63, Found C=65.41, H=8.61, N=1.60. 
     [α] D   25  -23.8° (C=1, chloroform) 
     m.p. 113°-115° C. 
     IR ν max   film  3250, 2940, 1745, 1660 and 1540 cm -1   
       1  H NMR CDCl 3  δ(TMS) 400 MHz 0.669 3H, s, CH 3  -18 0.985 3H, s, CH 3  -19 1.883 3H, s, NAc 2.026, 2.031, 2.126, 2.145, 3H×4, s×4, OAc×4 2.596 1H, dd, J=5.2, 12.8 Hz, 2&#39; Heq 3.650 1H, m, H-3 3.790 3H, s, COOMe 4.02-4.09 2H, m, H-4&#39;, H-5&#39; 4.166 1H, dd, J=5.8, 12.5 Hz, Ha-8&#39; 4.347 1H, dd, J=2.5, 12.8 Hz, Hb-8&#39; 4.854 1H, ddd, J=5.2, 9.8, 12.0 Hz, H-3&#39; 5.205 1H, d, J=10.1 Hz, NH 5.33-5.37 2H, m, H-6&#39;, 7&#39; 
     Physical properties of the compound (3): 
     Mass (EI) m/z 860 (M+1), 800 (M-59) 
     Elemental analysis (%) C 47  H 73  O 13  N Calculation C=65.63, H=8.55, N=1.63, Found C=65.89, H=8.58, N=1.66. 
     [α] D   25  -40.2° (C=1, chloroform) 
     m.p. 138°-140° C. 
     IR ν max   film  3420, 3250, 2930, 1740, 1660 and 1540 cm -1   
       1  H NMR CDCl 3  δ(TMS) 400 MHz 0.670 3H, s, CH 3  -18 0.999 3H, s, CH 3  -19 1.871 3H, s, NAc 2.021, 2.021, 2.077, 2.130, 3H×4, s×3, OAc×4 2.525 1H, dd, J=4.9, 13.1 Hz, Heq-2&#39; 3.572 1H, m, H-3 3.798 3H, s, COOCH 3  4.04-4.13 2H, m, H-4&#39;, 5&#39; 4.146 1H, dd, J=7.6, 12.5 Hz, Ha-8&#39; 4.888 1H, dd, J=1.8, 12.5 Hz, Hb-8&#39; 5.07 1H, tt, J=2.0, 8.2 Hz, H-7&#39;  5.22-5.27 1H, m, H-3&#39; 5.34-5.38 2H, m, NH, H-6&#39; 
     EXAMPLE 2 
     Synthesis of 5-Acetoamide-2-O-(5-Cholesten-3-beta-yl)-3,5-Dideoxy-alpha-D-Glycero-D-Galacto-2-Nonulopyranosonic acid 
     The compound (2) obtained in Exapmle 1 was dissolved in 2 ml of methanol. 3 ml of a 1 N-sodium hydroxide aqueous solution was added to the solution, which was then stirred for one night at room temperature. After 2 ml of water was added to the resultant solution, the solution was neutralized by Dowex 50 (H + ), a small amount of the precipitate was filtered off, and the filtrate was dried under vacuum, to produce 31.4 mg (79.7%) of the compound (4) (white powder). 
     30.0 mg (76.1%) of the compound (5) was obtained from the compound (3) in the same manner as the above. 
     Physical properties of the compound (4): IR ν max   KBr  2750, 1570 cm -1   
       1  H NMR CDCl 3  δ(TMS) 90 MHz 0.71 3H, s, CH 3  -18 0.84 and 0.91 6H, CH 3  -26 and CH 3  -27 0.95 3H, d, J=4.5 Hz, CH 3  -21 1.00 3H, s, CH 3  -19 2.01 3H, s, NAc 2.43 1H, dd, J=4.5 and 12.6 Hz, 3-Heq 
     [α] D   22  -12.58° (C=0.41, in methanol) 
     Physical properties of the compound (5): 
     IR ν max   KBr  2870, 1620 and 1550 cm -1   
       1  H NMR CD 3  OD δ(TMS) 90 MHz 0.71 3H, s, CH 3  -18 0.86 and 0.92 6H, CH 3  -26 and CH 3  -27 0.95 3H, d, J=4.5 Hz, CH 3  -21 1.00 3H, s, CH 3  -19 2.00 3H, s, NAc 2.39 1H, dd, J=4.5 and 12.6 Hz, 3-Heq 
     [α] D   20  -31.77° (C=0.78, in methanol) 
     EXAMPLE 3 
     50 mg of the compound (2), namely methyl 5-acetoamide-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-2-O-(5-cholesten-3-beta-yl)-3,5-dideoxy-alpha-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-nonulopyranosonate, was dissolved in 100 ml of methanol. To this solution, about 20 ml of a 2 N-sodium hydroxide aqueous solution was dropped while stirring, to produce a sodium hydroxide/methanol solution of about 0.2 N, which was then stirred for one night at room temperature in order to saponify the compound. 
     Next, Dowex 50 W (H + ) resin was added to the resultant solution while stirring. After the pH of the solution was adjusted acidic (about pH 4), the resin was removed. Then, the solution was dried under vacuum, to produce white powder 5-acetoamide-2-O-acetyl-(5-cholesten-3-beta-yl)-3,5-dideoxy-alpha-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-nonulopyranosonic acid. This powder was dissolved in a 0.02 N sodium hydroxide aqueous solution. The resultant solution was passed through a Dianon HP 20 resin column chromatography to cause adsorption on the resin, which resin was washed with water. Then, after elution was made with a 75% methanol aqueous solution, methanol was distilled off and freeze drying was made, to produce 37 mg (91%) of white powder sodium 5-acetoamide-2-O-(5-cholesten-3-yl)-3,5-dideoxy-alpha-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-nonulopyranosonate (the compound (4)). The physical prcperties of the compound (4) were substantially the same as those of Example 2. 
     EXAMPLE 4 
     50 mg of the compound (2) was dissolved in 100 ml of methanol, to which 20 ml of a 2 N sodium hydroxide aqueous solution was added. The resultant solution was stirred for one night at room temperature to cause saponification. After Dowex 50 W (H + ) was added to the solution and the mixture was stirred, the pH of the mixture was controlled at 7 to 8. The mixture was subjected to suction filtration followed by methanol washing, so as to remove the resin. The filtrate and the washing methanol were collected and methanol was distilled off. The precipitated white undissolving material was filtered and then subjected to freeze drying, to produce 39 mg (96%) white powder (the compound (4)). 
     Physical properties of the compound (4): 
     Mass (FD) m/z 722 (M+Na), 700 (M+1), 386, 336 and 314 
     Elemental analysis (%) C 38  H 62  O 9  NNa . 2H 2  O Calculation C:61.96, H:8.42, N:1.90, Found C:61.92, H:8.71, N:2.04. 
     [α] D   24  +2.2° (C=1.0, methanol) 
     IR ν max   KBr  3250, 2940 and 1605 cm -1   
       1  H NMR CD 3  OD δ(TMS) 400 MHz 0.704 3H, s, CH 3  -18 0.870 and 0.885 3H×2, d, J=1.7 Hz, CH 3  -26, CH 3  -27 0.936 3H, d, J=6.5 Hz, CH 3  -21 0.992 3H, s, CH 3  -19 2.010 3H, s, NAc 2.839 1H, dd, J=4.2 and 12.0 Hz, 2&#39;-Heq 5.332 1H, d, J=5.5 Hz, 6-H 
       13  C NMR CD 3  OD δ(TMS) 100 MHz 175.91 NAc, 175.26 1&#39;-COONa 142.87 C-5 122.59 C-6 102.57 C-1&#39;70.50 C-3 41.00 C-2 
     EXAMPLE 5 
     Example 3 was repeated except that the compound (3), namely methyl 5-acetoamide-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-2-O-(5-cholesten-3-beta-yl)-3,5-dideoxy-beta-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-nonulopyranosonate was used in place of the compound (2), to produce 36 mg (88%) of the compound (5), namely sodium 5-acetoamide-2-O-(5-cholesten-3-beta-yl)-3,5-dideoxy-beta-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-nonulopyranosonate. The physical properties of the compound (5) were substantially the same as those of Example 2. 
     EXAMPLE 6 
     Example 4 was repeated except that the compound (3) was used in place of the compound (2), to produce the compound (5) (40 mg, 98%). 
     Physical properties of the compound (5): 
     Mass (FD) m/z 722 (M+Na), 700 (M+1) and 386 
     Elemental analysis (%) C 38  H 62  O 9  NNa . H 2  O Calculation C:63.52, H:8.91, N:1.95, Found C:63.81, H:9.25, N:2.13. 
     [α] D   24  -10.6° (C=1.0, methanol) 
     IR ν max   KBr  3270, 2950 and 1608 cm -1   
       1  H NMR CD 3  OD δ(TMS) 400 MHz 0.700 3H, s, CH 3  -18 0.861 and 0.880 3H×2, d, J=1.5 Hz, CH 3  -26, CH 3  -27 0.928 3H, d, J=6,5 Hz, CH 3  -21 0.991 3H, s, CH 3  -19 1.972 3H, s, NAc 2.482 1H, dd, J=4.5 and 13.0 Hz, 2&#39;-Heq 5.282 1H, d, J=5.3 Hz, 6-H 
       13  C NMR CD 3  OD δ(TMS) 100 MHz 176.95 NAc, 174.51 1&#39;-COONa 143.08 C-5 122.46 C-6 101.37 C-1&#39;72.37 C-3 43.82 C-2&#39; 
     EXAMPLE 7 
     50 mg of the compound (2) was dissolved in 100 ml of anhydrous methanol. To this solution, 0.02 ml of a 28% sodium methylate solution was added and then the resultant solution was stirred for about one hour at room temperature, to cause deacetylation. Then, Dowex 50 Wx8 (H + ) resin was added to the resultant solution, which solution was stirred and neutralized. The solution was filtered by suction and methanol washing was made, to remove the resin. The filtrate and washing methanol were collected and then 20 ml of a 2 N sodium hydroxide aqueous solution was added to the solution, which was stirred for one night at room temperature to cause saponification. Amberlite IRC-50 (H + ) resin was added to the saponified solution. The resultant solution was stirred and the pH thereof was controlled at 5 to 7. The solution was subjected to suction filtration followed by methanol washing, to remove the resin. The filtrate and washing methanol were collected and subjected to vacuum drying to distill off methanol. A small amount of the precipitated white undissolving material was filtered and subjected to freeze drying, to produce 38 mg (93%) of white powder (the compound (4)). The physical properties of the compound were substantially the same as those of Example 2. 
     EXAMPLE 8 
     Example 7 was repeated except that the compound (3) was used in place of the compound (2), to produce 35 mg (86%) of the compound (5). The physical properties of the compound were substantially the same as those of Example 2. 
     EXAMPLE 9 
     Injection composition 
     Into an ampule, there were introduced 2.5 mg of the present compound, 0.25 mg of sodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate, 3 mg of disodium hydrogen phosphate 12-water, and distilled water for injection, to produce an injection composition having a total amount of 1 ml. 
     EXAMPLE 10 
     Injection composition to be dissolved before use 
     An injection composition prepared by mixing 0.5 mg of the present compound with 1 ml of physiological saline and then subjecting it to freeze drying, was introduced into a vial and 1 ml of distilled water for injection was added to the vial, to dissolve the injection composition. 
     EXAMPLE 11 
     Composition for eye application 
     Into a vial, there were introduced 1 mg of the present compound, 52.5 mg of boric acid, 14.5 mg of borax, suitable amount of benzalkonium chloride, and a solubilizing solution for eye application, to produce an eye application composition having a total amount of 5 ml. 
     EXAMPLE 12 
     Inhalation composition 
     The present compound was well pulverized in an agate mortar into fine powder having a diameter of 1 to 20 micron. Lactose was added to the powder, and pulverized and mixed with each other. Further, lactose was added to the mixture little by little and they were finely pulverized and well mixed with each other, to prepare a 20 to 40 trituration. 20 to 40 mg of the powder was introduced into a capsule or folded by a powder paper by means of a conventional method. The capsule was used for powder aerosol. The folded powder was used for liquid aerosol. 
     Experiments for confirming the activity of the present compound for promoting propagation of neurites will be explained below. 
     Experiment 1 
     Effect on proliferation of neuroblastoma cell, Neuro 2a strain 
     Neuro 2a was floated on culture medium consisting of 90% of Dulbecco&#39;s Modified Eagle&#39;s Midium, and 10% of fetal calf serum (FCS), and containing 100 units/ml of penicillin G and 100 micro g/ml of streptomycin sulfate, and then cultivated at 37° C. in a carbon dioxide incubator containing air into which 5% of carbon dioxide was incorporated. The vessel as used was a polystyrene tray having a diameter of 60 mm. 1 to 2×10 4  of the neuroblastoma cells were implanted in each tray and cultivated for 48 hours. The FCS-containing culture was removed from the resultant cell culture. To the culture which did not contain the FCS (this culture contained 100% of MEM, and the concentrations of the antibiotics were the same as those of the culture before the remove of the FCS), there were added as test samples, the compound (4) (Table 1), the compound (5) (Table 2), Gal (beta 1-3) GalNac (beta 1-4 ) &lt;NAcNeu-(alpha 2-3)&gt;Gal (beta 1-4) Glc (beta 1-1)Ceramide (hereinafter referred to as GM) (Table 3), and &lt;NAcNeu (alpha 2-8) NAcNeu (alpha 2-3)&gt;Gal (beta 1-3) GalNAc (beta 1-4)- NAcNeu-(alpha 2-8) &lt;NAcNeu- (alpha 2-3)&gt;-Gal (beta 1-4) Glc (beta 1-1)-Ceramide (hereinafter referred to as GQ 1b ) (Table 4), respectively in prescribed amounts, and the cultivation was continued. When 24 and 48 hours had passed after the addition of these medicines, the number of the living cells increased in the culture, the number of the neurites increased, and the length of the neurites were measured. The experiment was conducted on three trays with respect to each concentration. The resultant data were expressed by average value +standard error (S.E). 
     Results 
     The minimal effective concentrations of the compound (4), GM 1  and GQ 1b  in 48 hours after these medicines were added to the culture, were respectively 10 ng/ml, 10 micro g/ml, and 10 micro g/ml. Taking the molecular weights of these materials into consideration, the activity of the compound (4) is 420 times as high as that of GM 1  and 270 times as high as that of GQ 1b . The minimal effective concentration of the compound (5) is 100 ng/ml in 48 hours after the addition of the medicine, and the activity of the compound (5) is 42 times as high as that of GM 1  and 27 times as high as that of GQ 1b . 
     Further, GM 1  and GQ 1b  do not provide any activity when the cultivation was conducted for 24 hours. However, the compounds (4) and (5) indicated activity when the cultivation was conducted for 24 hours using these compounds in an amount of 10 ng/ml. These results clearly show that the compounds (4) and (5) have strong activity for the propagation of the neurites. 
     Acute Toxicity Test 
     Acute toxicity test was conducted by intravenously injecting the compounds into ddy male mice of 45 weeks age. The results show that LD 50  &#39;s of the compounds (4) and (5) are respectively 93 mg/kg and 291 mg/kg. 
     
                                           TABLE 1__________________________________________________________________________         Total              Number of                    Rate of                          Length of                                   Number of         number              neurite                    neurite                          neurite  neurites         of   propagated                    propagation                          ± S.E.                                   ± S.E.Test sample   cells              cells (%)   (μm/cell)                                   (number/cell)__________________________________________________________________________24 hrsCONTROL       417  169   40.5  79.4 ± 2.43                                   1.3 ± 0.04Compound (4)    10 ng/ml         416  131   31.5   92.4 ± 5.31***                                   1.2 ± 0.04Compound (4)   100 ng/ml         427  177   41.5  96.7 ± 4.12*                                   1.2 ± 0.03Compound (4)    1 μg/ml         373  190   50.9  130.4 ± 6.12*                                   1.2 ± 0.03Compound (4)    10 μg/ml         U.C. U.C.  --    U.C.     U.C.48 hrsCONTROL       483  206   42.7  103.6 ± 4.08                                   1.2 ± 0.03Compound (4)    10 ng/ml         467  219   46.9  121.9 ± 5.18**                                   1.2 ± 0.03Compound (4)   100 ng/ml         404  193   47.8  126.0 ± 6.10**                                   1.2 ± 0.04Compound (4)    1 μg/ml         369  182   49.3  156.3 ± 8.32*                                   1.2 ±  0.04Compound (4)    10 μg/ml         U.C. U.C.  --    U.C.     U.C.__________________________________________________________________________ U.C.: unmeasurable *p &lt; 0.001, **p &lt; 0.01, ***p &lt; 0.05 
    
     
                                           TABLE 2__________________________________________________________________________         Total              Number of                    Rate of                          Length of                                   Number of         number              neurite                    neurite                          neurite  neurites         of   propagated                    propagation                          ± S.E.                                   ± S.E.Test sample   cells              cells (%)   (μm/cell)                                   (number/cell)__________________________________________________________________________24 hrsCONTROL       417  169   40.5  79.4 ± 2.43                                   1.3 ± 0.04Compound (5)    10 ng/ml         361  124   34.3    89.4 ± 4.23***                                   1.3 ± 0.05Compound (5)   100 ng/ml         384  156   40.6  116.4 ± 5.59*                                   1.2 ± 0.03Compound (5)    1 μg/ml         396  213   53.8  130.8 ± 5.16*                                   1.2 ± 0.04Compound (5)    10 μg/ml         U.C. U.C.  --    U.C.     U.C.48 hrsCONTROL       483  206   42.7  103.6 ± 4.08                                   1.2 ± 0.03Compound (5)    10 ng/ml         472  226   47.9  110.6 ± 4.93                                   1.2 ± 0.04Compound (5)   100 ng/ml         422  212   50.2  135.1 ± 6.23*                                   1.3 ± 0.04Compound (5)    1 μg/ml         454  252   55.5  138.9 ± 5.39*                                   1.2 ±  0.03Compound (5)    10 μg/ml         U.C. U.C.  --    U.C.     U.C.__________________________________________________________________________ U.C.: unmeasurable *p &lt; 0.001, **p &lt; 0.01, ***p &lt; 0.05 
    
     
                                           TABLE 3__________________________________________________________________________        Total             Number of                   Rate of                         Length of                                  Number of        number             neurite                   neurite                         neurite  neurites        of   propagated                   propagation                         ± S.E.                                  ± S.E.Test sample  cells             cells (%)   (μm/cell)                                  (number/cell)__________________________________________________________________________24 hrsCONTROL      320  146   45.6  101.0 ± 6.04                                  1.3 ± 0.05GM.sub.1   10 ng/ml        334  145   43.4  94.9 ± 6.64                                  1.4 ± 0.05GM.sub.1  100 ng/ml        297  142   47.8  101.1 ± 5.09                                  1.4 ± 0.06GM.sub.1   1 μg/ml        332  140   42.2  109.7 ± 6.44                                  1.4 ± 0.06GM.sub.1   10 μg/ml        325  149   45.8  89.3 ± 4.77                                  1.4 ± 0.05GM.sub.1  100 μg/ml        310  172   55.5  90.5 ± 3.88                                  1.8 ± 0.0648 hrsCONTROL      383  184   48.0  95.8 ± 4.61                                  1.4 ± 0.05GM.sub.1   10 ng/ml        333  194   58.3  93.7 ± 5.07                                  1.4 ± 0.05GM.sub.1  100 ng/ml        349  156   44.7  108.8 ± 5.97                                  1.4 ± 0.06GM.sub.1   1 μg/ml        352  211   59.9  109.2 ± 6.09                                  1.3 ± 0.04GM.sub.1   10 μg/ml        330  205   62.1   113.8 ± 5.49***                                  1.3 ± 0.04GM.sub.1  100 μg/ml        317  193   60.9  98.9 ± 5.22                                  1.5 ± 0.05__________________________________________________________________________ ***p &lt; 0.05 
    
     
                                           TABLE 4__________________________________________________________________________        Total             Number of                   Rate of                         Length of                                  Number of        number             neurite                   neurite                         neurite  neurites        of   propagated                   propagation                         ± S.E.                                  ± S.E.Test sample  cells             cells (%)   (μm/cell)                                  (number/cell)__________________________________________________________________________24 hrsCONTROL      320  146   45.6  101.0 ± 6.04                                  1.3 ± 0.05CQ.sub.1b   10 ng/ml        336  174   51.8  88.5 ± 5.00                                  1.3 ± 0.05CQ.sub.1b  100 ng/ml        331  159   48.0  86.0 ± 4.72                                  1.3 ± 0.04CQ.sub.1b   1 μg/ml        308  157   51.0  97.6 ± 4.95                                  1.4 ± 0.05CQ.sub.1b   10 μg/ml        321  205   63.9  114.9 ± 5.98                                  1.4 ± 0.06CQ.sub.1b  100 μg/ml        U.C. U.C.  --    U.C.     U.C.48 hrsCONTROL      383  184   48.0  95.8 ± 4.61                                  1.4 ± 0.05CQ.sub.1b   10 ng/ml        371  158   42.6  100.4 ± 5.76                                  1.5 ± 0.06CQ.sub.1b  100 ng/ml        347  153   44.1  90.4 ± 6.06                                  1.2 ± 0.04CQ.sub. 1b   1 μg/ml        384  182   47.4  106.5 ± 6.40                                  1.3 ± 0.04CQ.sub.1b   10 μg/ml        346  214   61.8   122.5 ± 6.99**                                  1.3 ± 0.04CQ.sub.1b  100 μg/ml        U.C. U.C.  --    U.C.     U.C__________________________________________________________________________ U.C.: unmeasurable ***p &lt; 0.01 
    
     The present sialosyl cholesterol is useful, in particular, for a neuropathy remedy.