A study on Effects of Gossypol Acetic Acid on Fertility and Ultrastructure of Testis in Male Hamster

Lee, Sang Kon; Kim, Si Whang

Abstract

Gossypol is found to induce an inhibition of fertility in various animals such as rat, dog and monkey. This study was undertaken to determine the exact site of the action of gossypol acetic acid at the testicular level concomitant with antifertility activity at various dose and time intervals in male hamsters. This study consisted of three groups of hamsters according to the dose of GAA with control group. After 12 weeks of treatment at the dose of 5mg/kg/day and 10mg/kg/day a rate of increase in body weight were statistically lower than that of control group. In contrary at the dose of 20mg/kg/day there was a tendency to decrease in body weight. Male hamsters became completely sterile after 8 weeks of treatment with 20mg/kg/day. A regaining of fertility was observed after the cessation of treatment in 5 male hamsters that lost fertility. In the group treated with 10mg/kg/day of GAA, the fertility rate of female at 4,8 and 12 weeks of treatment were reduced 54.5%, 37.5% and 35.7 % respectively whereas those of female in 5 mg/kg/day group were 91.7%, 69.2% and 71.4% respectively. The number of delivered hamsters also decreased with the increase in dosage and duration of treatment. A decrease of motility was observed and followed by reduced sperm population. It was not until 4 weeks after administration with 20mg/kg/day of GAA that a reduction of sperm population was statistically significant. Azoospermia was found as early as 8 weeks after treatment with 20mg/ke/day of GAA. ultrastructurally initial detectable damages were observed in mitochondrial sheath of epididymal sperm and the damage was progressed in order of early spermatid, primary and secondary spermatocyte. spermatogonia. Distinct ultrastructural changes were seen in mitochondria of germ cell. In Sertoli cell cytoplasmic vacuolization was noted and mitochondrial damage was observed in late phase. An aggregation of mitochondria in spermatogonia was observed after treatment with 20mg/kg/day of GAA for 12 weeks. Leydig cell was not altered significantly in this study. The results of this study confirmed antifertility effects of GAA in male hamster and suggested that a spermatogonia may be damaged by chronic effects of gossypol treatment.