The molecule is a glycosylsphingoid consisting of sphingosine having an alpha-D-galactosyl residue attached at the 1-position. It derives from a sphing-4-enine and a sphingosine.
(2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-2-[(E,2S,3R)-2-amino-3-hydroxyoctadec-4-enoxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol