Xylulose

Xylulose is a ketopentose, a monosaccharide containing five carbon atoms, and including a ketone functional group. It has the chemical formula 5105. In nature, it occurs in both the - and -enantiomers. 1-Deoxyxylulose is a precursor to terpenes via the nonmevalonic acid pathway.
Pathology.
-Xylulose accumulates in the urine in patients with pentosuria, due to a deficiency in L-xylulose reductase. Since -xylulose is a reducing sugar like -glucose, pentosuria patients have been wrongly diagnosed in the past to be diabetic.