title: Transfer of 3H-gossypol to neonatal rats via milk of nursing dams.
abstract: Gossypol is a naturally occurring toxin with potent antifertility action in both males and females. Transfer of gossypol via milk from lactating mother to neonates has not been documented. One theory for the lack of such a finding is that gossypol, once tightly bound to milk proteins, is not extractable by conventional extraction methods for HPLC analysis. This study was designed to examine the possibility and dynamics of transmammary transfer of radioactively-labelled gossypol to neonates through nursing. Nursing rats were dosed with fifty microCi of 3H-gossypol in 0.5 ml of dimethyl sulfoxide via oral intubation on Day 10 post-partum. Six hours after treatment, significant amounts of 3H-gossypol were detected in the coagulated milk collected from the stomachs of the neonates as well as in the blood, liver, lung, spleen and a number of other tissues of these pups. While most neonatal tissues showed a steady decline in 3H-gossypol retention over time regardless of neonatal gender, adrenal glands and gonads preferentially accumulated 3H-gossypol in a time- and sex-dependent manner during the 24-hour sampling period. The results demonstrate that 3H-gossypol is transferred via milk from the nursing dams to their neonates. Thus, the gossypol content of milk presents a conceivable threat to neonatal health, especially to the normal function of steroidogenic organs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1092.
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Moh
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kulp
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D005260:Female; D006072:Gossypol / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007774:Lactation / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D014316:Tritium; D006072:Gossypol