Cholesterol-beta-D-glucoside

The physiological significance of the glucosylation of cholesterol is to render cholesterol far more water soluble and usable for transportation within a cell.1 Parkinsonism and glucosylceramide metabolism appear to be linked given the high incidence of neurodegenerative conditions in patients with Gaucher disease, a lysosomal storage disorder.2 It may be speculated that glucosylceramide acts as a donor in the biosynthesis of the potentially neurotoxic steryl-β-glucosides, implying that cholesteryl-β-glucoside is a missing link between parkinsonism and Gaucher.3