Preparation of gossypol from cottonseed pigment glands

Abstract

Summary Cottonseed pigment glands, produced from whole cottonseed meal and defatted cottonseed meal by the gland flotation process, have been investigated as a raw material for the production of gossypol. Methods based on the previously reported properties of gossypol and cottonseed pigment glands have been developed for the relatively rapid isolation of gossypol from pigment glands. Extraction of gossypol from pigment glands with acetone followed by precipitation of gossypol acetic acid from the extract was found to be the preferable method for obtaining pure gossypol in good yields. The precautions which must be applied in order to produce gossypol on a large scale by the acetone‐acetic acid method are discussed together with methods for the purification and preservation of gossypol.