Luo Han Guo

Scientific Name(s): Momordicae grosvenori (Swingle)., Siraitia grosvenori (Swingle) A.M. Lu and Zhi Y. Zhang., Thladiantha grosvenori (Swingle) C. Jeffrey.
Common Name(s): Arhat fruit, Big yellow's fruit, Buddha fruit, Ge si wei ruo guo, Lo han guo, Lo han kuo, Longevity fruit, Lor hon kor, Magic fruit, Momordica fruit, Monk fruit, Na han gwa, Ra kan ka

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Aug 23, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

In Chinese folk medicine, S. grosvenori has been used for cough, sputum, asthma, bronchitis, pharyngitis, obesity, acute gastritis, and constipation. In traditional Chinese medicine, luo han guo has been used as a pulmonary demulcent and emollient for the treatment of dry cough, sore throat, and extreme thirst. However, there are no clinical trials to support these uses.

Dosing

Limited clinical data are available regarding use in humans.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not yet been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Potential adverse effects are unknown.

Toxicology

No definitive information is available regarding toxicity of luo han guo fruit.

Scientific Family

• Cucurbitaceae

Botany

Luo han guo is the fruit of S. grosvenori, a perennial, herbaceous, dioecious climbing vine that grows 2 to 5 m in length using tendrils.

The roots of the plant are large and fusiform or subglobose.Swingle 1941 The leaves of the plant are heart-shaped (10 to 20 cm length) and the fruit is round (5 to 7 cm diameter), smooth, and yellow-brown or green-brown in color. The seeds are numerous, pale yellow, broadly ovate, and compressed. The female inflorescence is in the form of axillary clusters; the male inflorescence is racemose.Swingle 1941 The plant is native to southern China in the provinces of Guangxi, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, and in Northern Thailand.Swingle 1941 A synonym is Momordicaceae.

History

The name luo han guo or "monk fruit" might be derived from the belief that Buddhist monks were among the first people to cultivate this fruit; in Chinese culture, monk fruit is also associated with the saints that surround Buddha.Hossen 2005, Swingle 1941, Tsang 2001 The skin, flesh, and seeds of monk fruit are sweet and possess a unique taste. The fruit is usually boiled or simmered in water and consumed as an herbal tea or used in preparation of soups and stews.Swingle 1941 The fruit is traditionally associated with abundant health, and its uses as food by Asian populations in many parts of the world and in traditional Chinese medicine are well documented in Chinese historical literature.Swingle 1941 The original botanical name S. grosvenori was published in 1941 in honor of Gilbert Grosvenor who, as president of the National Geographic Society, helped fund an expedition in the 1930s to find the living plant where it was cultivated.Swingle 1941

Chemistry

The penta-, tetra-, and triglucose conjugated mogrosides are the sweetening components of luo han guo; the main mogrosides include mogroside V, mogroside IV, siamenoside I, and neomogroside.Chen 2005, Hussain 1990, Kinghorn 1987, Makapugay 1985, Tsang 2001 The siraitic acids A, B, C, D, and E, which ar...