COMPARATIVE IN VITRO SPERMICIDAL EFFECTS OF (+)-GOSSYPOL,

The comparative in vitro spermicidal effects of (+I-gossypol, (-)-gossypol and (+)_gossypol were Gamed on the spermatozoa of human, monkey, robbit, mouse, rat and hamster. The spermicidal effects of gossypol isomers were also compared with those of gossypolone, which is a proposed major metabolite of gossypol. Gossypol isomers and gossypolone were all spermicidal. (+)- and (-IGossypol demonstrated spermicidal activities at the same concentration at which (+)-gossypol shows spermicidal effects on the spermatozoa of all species tested. However, gossypolone was less potent than the gossypol isomers. The spermicidol action of gossypol may be a nonspecific effect unrelated to the antifertility mechanism of orally administered gossypol, since (+)_gassypol which is not an’ effective male antifertility spermicidal effect to that of (+I-gossypol. ogent also showed the equivalent