Short Term Metabolic Effects of the Anti‐Fertility Agent, Gossypol, on Various Reproductive Organs of Male Mice

Abstract

In order to evaluate the short term metabolic effects of gossypol on the testes as well as any possible effects on the secondary sex organs, Balb C mice were injected subcutaneously with various doses of gossypol (0.25-25.0 mg/kg body weight) in corn oil for 10 days. Wet weights of several different secondary sex reproductive organs decreased during gossypol treatment. However, wet weights of the testes during treatment remained equal to or greater than control values. Following 10 days of gossypol treatment, incorporation of [3H]thymidine or [3H]amino acids into trichloroacetic acid precipitable macromolecules was inhibited in the seminal vesicles and ventral prostates normalized to either DNA or wet weight. Treatment with gossypol also had an inhibitory effect on epididymal sperm count at the two highest doses. These results demonstrate that gossypol will decrease sperm count at high dose levels after treatment of male mice for as short as 10 days. However, its overall effects are not limited to the testes and spermatogenesis but, in addition, it has dramatic inhibitory effects on protein and nuclei acid metabolism in the secondary sex organs.

Histologic changes in the mouse testis after treatment with gossypol tetra-acetic acid.

“…The results of the present study in the Parkes strain mouse indicate that the administration (20 or 40 mg/ kg body weight) of gossypol did not induce alterations in testicular weight, but caused a significant reduction in the weight of the seminal vesicle; this is in agreement with the findings in other strains of mice (COULSON et al, 1980;HUNT and MITTWOCH, 1984). The general appearance of the mice suggests that gossypol had probably no effect on the general condition of the animals during the period of treatment.…”

“…HAHN et al (1981) reported that gossypol treatment does not induce antifertility effects in mice. According to COULSON et al (1980) and HUNT and MITTWOCH (1984) in mice, the administration of gossypol causes a reduction in both the number of spermatozoa in the epididymis and the weight of the accessory reproductive organs. On the other hand, WANG et al (1979) found no adverse effect of gossypol on accessory glands in mice.…”

Reproductive toxicological effects of gossypol on male rabbits: semen characteristics and hormonal levels

“…The increase in the estimated weights of testes of the gossypol-treated rabbits (Table 2) disagrees with the findings observed in rams (Kramer et al, 1991) and bulls (Velasquez-Pereira et al, 1998) but agrees with those noted in mice (Coulson et al, 1980). A possible increase in water retention in seminal plasma of the gossypol-treated rabbits as indicated by the increase of albumin and unpublished) could have contributed at least in part to this increase in weights of testes.…”

Ultrastructural Studies of Spermatozoa and the Epithelial Lining of the Epididymis and Vas Deferens in Rats Treated with Gossypol

“…According to the Chinese [17], gossypol is believed to act at the level of the testis. On the other hand, mice injected with 12.5 or 25 mg/kg of gossypol for 10 days exhibit a statistically significant decrease in the epididymal sperm count [6] and gossypol injected into the epididymal fat pad of the rat causes a decrease in epididymal sperm motility within 24 hr [8]. Furthermore, distal migration of the cytoplasmic droplet from the neck region to the distal end of the midpiece, a phenomenon generally viewed as a function of epididymal sperm maturation [3], is impaired in gossypol-treated rats [4].…”