Sufi S B, Donaldson A, Jeffcoate S L, Matlin S A, Zhou R H
Contraception. 1985 Feb;31(2):159-64. doi: 10.1016/0010-7824(85)90029-0.
Racemic (+/-) mixtures of gossypol isomers exert an antifertility effect by inhibiting sperm motility and spermatogenesis. Purified (+) gossypol has been shown to be without these actions. In this study pure preparations of both (+) and (-) gossypol were found to inhibit, in a similar manner, both basal and LH-stimulated release of testosterone by isolated Leydig cells at concentrations down to 21 microM. It is possible that use of low doses of pure (-) gossypol could inhibit fertility with less endocrine side effects.
