Reversible antispermatogenic effect of gossypol in langur monkeys (Presbytis entellus entellus)

The present investigation reports the antispermatogenic effect of the orall y active highly purified gossypol acetic acid at 7.5 mg and 10 mg/day for 1 80 days in langur monkeys. The results revealed a dose-dependent response i n semen analysis as well as testicular morphology. Uniform severe oligosper mia was observed in the lower dose (7.5 mg) group, while azoospermia was ob served in 2 out of 5 animals in the higher dose (10 mg) group and the remai ning animals showed severe oligospermia. Scanning electron microscopy of sp ermatozoa revealed deleterious abnormalities in the head and midpiece. Test icular morphology revealed a decrease in the seminiferous tubule diameter a nd arrest of spermatogenesis. The lower dose group had a germ cell populati on up to primary spermatocytes while the higher dose group had only Sertoli cells and spermatogonia. Withdrawal of treatment for 180 days led to the r ecovery of all the parameters studied, to normalcy.