EFFECTS OF (-) AND (+) GOSSYPOL ON FERTILITY OF MALE RATS

Racemic, (-) and (+) gossypol, provided by the Department of Organic Chemistry of our institute, was suspended in 2.5% tween 80 solution. Adult male Wistar rats 190～220 g in weight were allotted to 5 groups. Animals in group 1 received 2.5% tween 80 solution as control. Rats in group 2 were treated with racemic gossypol at the dosage of 30 mg/kg for 2 weeks. Animals in group 3 and 4 were given 15 mg/kg of (-) gossypol for 2 weeks and 30 mg/kg of (-) gossypol for 1 week respectively. Rats in group 5 were treated with (+) gossypol at the dosage of 30 mg/kg for 2 weeks.Four weeks from the beginning of gossypol treatment the rats were cohabited with adult females for 7 days. Then the motility of the sperms in the cauda epididymides was estimated The female rats were examined for pregnancy 7 days later.Treatment with (-) gossypol at 30 mg/kg caused significant decreases in body weight of the rats (P<0.05). One of the five rats died 7 days after the last administration, while (+) gossypol and racemic gossypol at the dosage employed had no effect on the body weight. (+) Gossypol at 30 mg/kg for 2 weeks had no effect on the motility of the sperms in the cauda epididymides and no effect on the fertility of the animals: nor was there any effect on the weights of the testis, epididymis, prostate and seminal vesicle. The sperms of the cauda epididymides were found to be dead in the groups treated with 15 and 30 mg/kg of (-)gossypol. Raccmic gossypol given for 2 weeks at 30 mg/kg caused loss of fertility of the male rats which confirmed our previous findings.(?)t may be postulated that (+) gossypol has no antifertility effect nor toxicity at the dosage employed. (-) Gossypol is the active stereoisomer of racemic gossypol.