| Abstract: | Gossypol, a pigment found in cottonseed that has recently been shown to have antifertility properties, inhibited the activity of 3 intestinal brush border enzymes in a concentration-dependent manner. Suspensions of rat intestinal mucosa were incubated with various concentrations of gossypol for 45 minutes and then washed. At a concentration of 6 mg per gm mucosa, gossypol inhibited the activities of alkaline phosphatase, maltase, and sucrase by 57, 73, and 77%, respectively. Gossypol is a bifunctional agent, capable of cross-linking amino acid side chains, and its action on brush-border enzymes may be due to this mechanism. Recent investigations have demonstrated that rats fed a diet of 10-15 mg of gossypol/day/kg of body weight exhibit reduced fertility. This study suggests that a partial inhibition of brush-border enzymes may occur at doses used to cause infertility. Such a side effect should be considered in studies and treatments utilizing a gossypol diet. |
