Studies on the male antifertility agent--gossypol acetic acid. V. Effect of gossypol acetic acid on the fertility of male rats.

Abstract

Gossypol acetic acid was given to male rats at a dose of 7.5 mg/rat/day six days a week for ten weeks. After nine weeks of gossypol treatment no implantation sites were observed in the females mated with gossypol treated males. After ten weeks of gossypol treatment all the spermatozoa in the vas deferens were non-motile. Gossypol treatment did not affect the body weight and the weights of the accessory sex organs. Plasma LH and FSH levels, hCG binding in testis and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) and adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities in liver, kidney and testis were not affected by gossypol treatment. Histological observations of the testis revealed partial damage to the seminiferous tubules. Single high doses of gossypol did not induce significant changes in the body weight and weights of testis and accessory sex organs. ATPase activity in the testis was reduced significantly after gossypol treatment, the enzyme activity in liver and kidney, was however, affected at high doses only. Gossypol treatment had no effect on the histoarchitecture of the testis. Intratesticular administration of gossypol evoked localized damage in the testis. Gossypol treatment had no effect on I125 FSH binding to the rat testis homogenate in vitro.