Gossypol

2,2 '- bis-( formyl-1 ,6,7 - trihydroxy -5 -isopropyl -3- methylnaphthalene )

Fixed

Attention

2315 mg · kg -1 ( LD50, rat, oral)

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Gossypol is a reddish - yellow dye, is included in the seed of the cotton plant to about 1.5 percent. Gossypol is a atropisomeric aromatic dimeric sesquiterpene. It is slightly toxic to humans, through the inhibition of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase. Gossypol consists of two mirror image forms (enantiomers ) and has axial chirality.

Medical Research

Gossypol is object of research cancer research. Initial laboratory tests showed that gossypol blocks certain proteins in cancer cells and thus their cell division. Especially one of the variants showed good test results.

In China, research has been conducted with gossypol up in the 1970s to gain from a male contraceptive. Since many men remained infertile with the material after testing, the recommended WHO 1998, set the research on the " pill for men " with gossypol.