264 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. V, No. 7 
OCCURRENCE AND PROPERTIES OF GOSSYPOL 
If the cottonseed kernel is examined with a lens, many small yellowish 
brown to black spots may be seen (PL XXV). They are referred to by 
Hanausek (1907, p. 367) as “secretion cavities” in the following state¬ 
ment: 
Distributed among the mesophyll cells [of the cotyledons] are procambium bundles 
and globular, lysigenous secretion cavities (se) 100 — 400/z diameter. The lysigenous 
character of these cavities when mature is quite clearly evident. The tissue which 
surrounds them consists, in its outer portion, of tangentially flattened, very thin- 
walled cells, and within the last a mucilaginized layer in which the traces of the cell 
walls are still evident. This colorless mucilage layer, which treatment with hydro¬ 
chloric acid and, after washing with water, with potash brings out as a yellow, folded, 
and laminated mass, encloses the greenish-black, opaque secretion (v). Since the 
mucilage layer is soluble in water, the secretion flows out from the sections laid in 
water in the form of a thick emulsion consisting of a colorless mass containing minute 
dark-colored grains (resin?) in lively molecular motion. Chlorzinc iodine colors the 
secretion red-brown, sulphuric acid dissolves it to a thick turbid fluid of a blood-red 
color. Ammonia colors the liquid greenish yellow without destroying the emulsion. 
Potash also imparts a green color. 
They are designated by Watt (1907, p. 56) as “gland dots” and by 
Balls (1912, p. 13) as “resin glands.” From these glands we have 
extracted gossypol and for clearness have alluded to them as gossypol 
glands. Their function does not seem to be very well known. 
They occur in all parts of the cotton plant and in all varieties which 
we have seen. They are very abundant in the cambium layer of the 
bark of the cotton root. 1 
Gossypol was first isolated by Marchlewski (1899) from the “foots” in 
the purification of cottonseed oil, and on account of its source and phen¬ 
olic properties he proposed for it the name “gossypol,” from Gossyp 
[ium phen]ol. 
Previous to Marchlewski’s work the crude substance constituting the 
coloring matter of cottonseed oil was referred to by the older writers— 
e. g., Hanausek (1903, p. 755)—as “gossypin,” 2 which is described as a 
light-brown pungent powder. 
Marchlewski (1899) proposed for gossypol the formula C 13 H 14 0 4 , with 
C 32 H 34 O 10 as an alternate formula. Among its properties as described by 
him are the following: A beautifully crystalline yellow-colored dihy¬ 
droxy phenolic substance, easily soluble in alcohol, benzene, chloroform, 
ether, acetone, and glacial acetic acid; insoluble in water; soluble in con¬ 
centrated sulphuric acid with a magnificent red color; easily soluble in 
alkalies, the solution for the first second being yellow, after a short time 
becoming a beautiful violet and then fading, the changes being due to 
oxidation. The alcoholic solution gives a dark-green color with ferric 
1 Thus, we have an indication that gossypol may be the active principle of the medicinal extract of cotton- 
root bark. (Bouchelle, 1840.) 
2 The original work on gossypin has not been located by us. 
