Comparative In vitro metabolism of purified mogrosides derived from monk fruit extracts

Mogrosides are the primary components responsible for the sweet taste of Monk fruit which is derived from Siraitia grosvenorii (Swingle), a herbaceous plant native to southern China. Many mogrosides have been identified from Monk fruit extract, but the major sweetness component of Monk fruit by mass is mogroside V, comprising up to 0.5% of the dried fruit weight. Recent pharmacokinetic studies indicate that the parent mogrosides undergo minimal systemic absorption following ingestion and hydrolysis by digestive enzymes and/or intestinal flora and are excreted as mogrol (i.e., the aglycone) and its mono- and diglucosides. The objective of this study was to demonstrate whether individual mogrosides, are metabolized to a common and terminal deglycosylated metabolite, mogrol. An in vitro assay was conducted with pooled human male and female intestinal fecal homogenates (HFH) using mogrosides IIIe, mogroside V, siamenoside I, and isomogroside V at two concentrations over a 48 h period. The results show that various mogrosides that differ in the linkages and number of glucose units attached to a common cucurbitane backbone, share a common metabolic fate, and are metabolized within 24 h to mogrol. Aside from an apparent difference in the initial rate of deglycosylation between mogrosides at higher concentrations, no apparent difference in the rate of deglycosylation was observed between the male and female HFH. Given the similar structures of these mogrosides and a shared metabolic fate to mogrol, the study provides support for a reasonably conservative approach to assess safety based on bridging safety data from an individual mogroside (i.e., Mogroside V) to other mogrosides, and the establishment of a group Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), rather than individual ADI's for mogrosides.