Effect of gossypol on domestic fowl, Gallus domesticus.

Domestic fowls (Gallus domesticus) were administered gossypol (10 mg/kg body weight/day) by oral intubation for 15 weeks. Drug treatment did not have any effect on body growth rate. The drug treatment, however, caused a marked decrease in the weights of testis and epididymis. Predominant changes in the histoarchitecture of testis (desquamation of germinal epithelium and inhibition of spermatogenesis) were observed following gossypol treatment. Epididymal tubules in gossypol treated animals were devoid of spermatozoa. Gossypol treatment had no effect on hematological parameters (total erythrocyte count, total leucocyte count, hematocrit and hemoglobin) studied in the present investigations.