Postmortem findings consistent with gossypol toxicity include which of the following?

Postmortem findings consistent with gossypol toxicity include which of the following?

• A. Red-tinged fluid with edema and heart involvement
• B. Serum hyperproteinemia
• C. Pulmonary edema only
• D. Hepatic lipidosis

Answer: (A)

Gossypol toxicity is mainly cardiotoxic, leading to congestive heart failure with fluid buildup. At necropsy, you’d expect edema with effusions and clear involvement of the heart. The red-tinged fluid reflects congestive changes and possible small hemorrhages, which fits the cardiomyopathic pattern seen with gossypol exposure. Other options don’t fit this pattern: hyperproteinemia isn’t a typical postmortem feature of gossypol poisoning, isolated pulmonary edema doesn’t capture the broader heart-involved edema, and hepatic lipidosis is more related to metabolic imbalance rather than a primary gossypol effect. So the finding most consistent with gossypol toxicity is red-tinged fluid with edema and heart involvement.

Gossypol toxicity is mainly cardiotoxic, leading to congestive heart failure with fluid buildup. At necropsy, you’d expect edema with effusions and clear involvement of the heart. The red-tinged fluid reflects congestive changes and possible small hemorrhages, which fits the cardiomyopathic pattern seen with gossypol exposure. Other options don’t fit this pattern: hyperproteinemia isn’t a typical postmortem feature of gossypol poisoning, isolated pulmonary edema doesn’t capture the broader heart-involved edema, and hepatic lipidosis is more related to metabolic imbalance rather than a primary gossypol effect. So the finding most consistent with gossypol toxicity is red-tinged fluid with edema and heart involvement.