The viability of mouse Leydig cells in vitro following incubation with gossypol.

Gossypol, a phenolic compound that has been studied as a potential male contraceptive, has also been shown to inhibit basal and LH-stimulated testosterone production by mouse Leydig cells in vitro. This inhibition persists even when cells treated with gossypol are washed prior to reincubation with LH. While gossypol has been reported to be cytotoxic, its effect on steroidogenesis does not appear to be a consequence of cytotoxicity as there was no reduction in the number of viable cells after incubations in which inhibition of testosterone production was observed.