polyphenolic yellow pigment found in cotton seed. Less than 0.06 percent of free gossypol usually remains in the processed cotton seed meal. Gossypol forms insoluble chelates with essential metals such as iron and with amino acids, especially lysine, leading to nutritional deficiencies in these essential nutrients and is a tumor promoter in animals.
A toxic yellow pigment found in cottonseed. Heat and pressure tend to bind it with protein and thereby render it safe for animal consumption.
Gossypol is a polyphenol C30H30O8 derived from the cottonseed plant (genus Gossypium, family Malvaceae) tested as a male oral contraceptive in China. Its efficacy is comparable to the female birth control pill.