ABSTRACT
<p><b>AIM</b>To evaluate the anti-proliferative activity and mitochondrial toxicity of gossypol in endometrioma cells maintained in short-term cultures.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>(A) Three endometrioma cell lines from patients were treated with 25 or 50 nmol/L gossypol for up to 12 days. The effect of gossypol on the cell growth was recorded. (B) A phosphorescence oxygen analyzer was used to determine the effects of gossypol on mitochondrial oxygen consumption of six endometrioma cell lines from patients. (C) Cellular gossypol accumulations in three endometrioma cell lines from patients were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Proliferation of the endometrioma cells was inhibited by 25 and 50 nmol/L gossypol. Respiration of the endometrioma cells was inhibited by 10 micromol/L gossypol. Cellular gossypol was detected in the endometrioma cell lines that were treated for 24 h with 10 and 0.3 micromol/L gossypol.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Gossypol invokes a potent toxicity on cultured endometrioma cells.</p>