A PROCESS FOR PREPARING PURE MONOSIALOGANGLIOSIDE GM1 IN THE FORM OF ITS SODIUM SALT. THERE IS PROVIDED A PROCESS FOR THE ISOLATION AND PURIFICATION OF MONOSIALOGANGLIOSIDE GM1 COMPRISING (A) SEPARATION OF GM1 FROM A LIPIDIC MIXTURE CONTAINING THE MONOSIALOGANGLIOSIDE GM1 AS THE MAIN GANGLIOSIDE COMPONENT BY ION EXCHANGE COLUMN-CHROMATOGRAPHY USING AN ELUENT COMPRISING POTASSIUM OR CAESIUM IONS, (B) RECOVERY OF THE SOLUTE FROM THE ELUTED SOLUTION , (C) DIAFILTRATION OF AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF THE RECOVERED SOLUTE, AND (D) SECOND DIAFILTRATION AFTER THE ADDITION OF 1 M NACL, AND RECOVERING GM1. THE PURITY LEVEL OF GM1 OBTAINED IS HIGHER THAN 99.0%.