INFLUENCE OF SALICYLALDEHYDE AND ITS ANALOGUES ON THE ANTISPERMATOGENIC EFFECT OF GOSSYPOL

In rats, o-hydroxybenzaldehyde and sodium o-hydroxybenzoate were shown to antagonize the antispermatogenic effect of gossypol, whereas p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and p-hydroxybenzoic acid did not. The results suggest that the activity of o-hydroxybenzaldehyde and sodium o-hydroxybenzoate may be related to their ortho-OH group.Salicylaldehyde or sodium salicylate was given orally to rats. Both exhibited no significant effect on motility and malformation rate of spermatozoa in cauda epididymis. None of the two compounds showed any antifertility effect by the mating test. However, when they were given orally together with gossypol, the antispermatogenic effect of gossypol was found to be antagonized.The significance of such results remains to be clarified.