Gossypium herbaceum   G. spp.   Cotton Root Bark   Family Malvaceae
ORIGIN India, Southern Europe and USA.
PART USED: Root bark
TASTE: Faintly acrid   ODOR: Distinctive
ACTIONS
1. Emmenogogue..
2. Oxytoxic.
3. Male contraceptive.
INDICATIONS
1. Functional amenorrhea.  Atonic and congestive dysmenorrhea.
COMBINATIONS
- Atonic amenorrhoea- use with False Unicorn Root and Leonurus.
- Dysmenorrhea- use with Pulsatilla and Cramp Bark.
PREPARATIONS
Liquid Extract 2-4 ml..
Tincture 2-4 ml..
NOTE- Freshly collected root bark could be oxytocic (BHP1983).
CONSTITUENTS
Oil; polyphenol- gossypol 1-2%., 6-methoxygossypol, 6,6-dimethoxygossypol and furfuraldehyde.
Flavonoids; quercimetrin.
Resin- Pale yellow or colorless, which becomes red-brown and inert on exposure to air. Fixed oil. Catechol..
Phenolic acids. Betaine. Sterols.
RESEARCH
it is not certain whether the oxytocic activty is due to gossypol or an unkown constituent. Gossypol was first discovered in China when the oil used for cooking caused infertility in men. Since then it has been extensively clinically tested there as a male contraceptive. It causes a marked decrease in sperm count, but also a degeneration of germ cells in the seminiferous tubules in men and animals. This means that gossypol is unlikely to be used clinically in other countries. It is reported to cause a transient weakness early in therapy, hypokalaemia, and changes in ECG among other side effect. Gossypol also has antiviral and antibacterial acitivity both in vitro and in vivo. It has lipoxygenase  and to inhibit lung-strip contractions induced by histamine, PAF-acether and leukotrienes B4 and D4. This helps to explain the use of Cotton Root in dysmenorrhea.
(BHP1983,PNC).