Mogroside

A mogroside is a triterpene glycoside of cucurbitane derivatives found in certain plants, such as the fruit of the gourd vine Siraitia grosvenorii (known as monkfruit or luohan guo).

[3] One analysis of 200 candidate genes of Siraitia grosvenorii revealed five enzyme families involved in the synthesis of mogroside V: squalene epoxidases, triterpenoid synthases, epoxide hydrolases, cytochrome P450s, and UDP-glucosyltransferases.

[1] The metabolic pathway for mogroside biosynthesis involves an initial stage of fruit development when squalene is metabolized to di-glucosylated, tetra-hydroxycucurbitadienols, then during fruit maturation, branched glucosyl groups are added and catalyzed, leading to the sweet M4, M5, and M6 mogrosides.

[4] Some mogrosides are used in traditional Chinese medicine[2] and some are extracted for manufacturing as sweeteners.

[1] Mogroside V extract from S. grosvenorii fruit is 250 times sweeter than sucrose,[1] sold commercially in Norbu (sweetener).