IngredientesCottonseed oil is the fixed oil obtained from the seeds of cultivated cotton plants, principally Gossypium hirsutum L. (upland cotton) and, to a lesser extent, Gossypium barbadense L., Gossypium arboreum L., and Gossypium herbaceum L., all belonging to the family Malvaceae. G. arboreum and G. herbaceum are diploid "old world" species cultivated in parts of Asia and Africa, while G. barbadense and G. hirsutum are polyploid "new world" species cultivated worldwide. The oil may be designated in commerce and regulatory contexts as "Cottonseed (Gossypium) Oil." In its hydrogenated form it is identified as Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, and derivative forms include Cottonseed Acid and Cottonseed Glyceride. These ingredients are all derived from cottonseed oil and are used as skin-conditioning agents and surfactants.
Cotton seed has a similar structure to other oilseeds, such as sunflower seed, having an oil-bearing kernel surrounded by a hard outer hull; in processing, the oil is extracted from the kernel. Cottonseed, which is separated from cotton lint in the ginning process, is considered a separate crop because of its distinctive uses and economic importance. Although cotton is considered first and foremost a fiber crop, it is regulated as a food crop by the Food and Drug Administration because its by-products, including cottonseed oil, have long been used in kitchens, the commercial food industry, cosmetics, and medical applications.
Cottonseed oil is commercially available in several forms that differ in processing and composition:
Cottonseed oil is used for salad oil, mayonnaise, salad dressing, and similar products because of its flavor stability. It was used in the production of edible food products such as cooking oils, salad oils, margarines, and shortenings.
The ancient Chinese and Hindus had crude methods for recovering cottonseed oil and used it as medicine and in lamps, but large-scale commercial use of cottonseed is a relatively modern development. The oil was thus known in Asian civilizations for many centuries before industrial-scale extraction became feasible.
In the mid-19th century, cottonseed was used mainly for planting cotton, and the leftover seed was considered a pollution and health problem. In 1833, however, the first successful cottonseed-oil mill was established in Natchez, Mississippi, and the industry expanded after the American Civil War. The development of the cottonseed industry had its beginnings with the invention of the cotton gin in 1793. The cotton gin made large supplies of cottonseed available, thus spurring the development of the cottonseed products industry.
A key technological problem was resolved in 1857, when William Fee patented a huller that effectively separated the tough hulls from the meats of cottonseed. With this new invention, cottonseed oil began to be used for illumination purposes in lamps to supplement increasingly expensive whale oil and lard. By 1859, this use came to an end as the petroleum industry emerged and the American Civil War disrupted the cotton industry. Cottonseed oil then began to be used to fortify animal fats and lards.
After the Civil War, cotton acreage had expanded significantly, resulting in an increase in cottonseed oil production. The U.S. recognized the progress of the cottonseed industry and began to include cottonseed oil mills in the annual U.S. census in 1860. Refined cottonseed oil was being exported to European countries by the tons. The early refined cottonseed oil was light in flavor and slightly yellow, which was perfect for the dilution of expensive olive oil. The adulteration was undetectable, but eventually led to tariffs on U.S. cottonseed oil and all exports to Italy were discontinued.
By the late 1880s, the domestic demand for cottonseed oil increased when the price of lard became high. The cottonseed producers introduced this new product as shortening rather than a lard-substitute, which was a crucial move for the oil industry. Consumers welcomed the idea of using cottonseed oil shortening for their biscuits, to fry their chicken, or season their iron skillets.
Procter and Gamble, which already bought large quantities of cottonseed oil to produce Ivory soap, developed a vegetable shortening based on cottonseed oil in the early 1900s. When the new product, Crisco, was introduced in 1912, the company conducted a major advertising campaign. By 1911, Procter and Gamble commercially produced the first all-vegetable cottonseed oil shortening known as Crisco®. Cottonseed oil was the principal oil in the United States until the mid-twentieth century. After World War II, cotton crop shortages and increased demand for edible oils resulted in soybean oil dominating the vegetable oil market.
The processing of cottonseed was one of the earliest large-scale industries to be established in Texas. By 1900 it was the second most important industry in the state in value of product, superseded only by lumber. The United States has continued as the largest consumer, but cottonseed is also produced in quantity by India, China, Mexico, Egypt, Pakistan, and Brazil.
Even after more than one hundred years, cottonseed oil is still widely used in various snack foods such as chips, pretzels, and crackers. Cottonseed oil is also a key ingredient in many marinades, dressings, margarines, and prepared foods. Significantly less expensive than olive oil or canola oil, cottonseed oil was a popular frying oil for the restaurant and snack-food manufacturing industries. For agricultural applications, cottonseed oil generally has the greatest insecticide power among all the vegetable oils. It is traditionally used because of its effectiveness in hard-to-treat pest problems in fruit trees.
Cottonseed oil's fatty acid profile generally consists of 70% unsaturated fatty acids (18% monounsaturated and 52% polyunsaturated), and 26% saturated fatty acids. The principal fatty acids are:
One of the most chemically distinctive features of cottonseed oil is the presence of minor quantities of cyclopropyl-type fatty acids. Previous studies have demonstrated that cottonseed oil contains less than 1% cyclopropenoid fatty acids (CPFA), mainly sterculic and malvalic acids, which contain one double bond at the site of a propene ring, either at the 9-10 or 8-9 position.
Of particular pharmacological interest is dihydrosterculic acid (DHSA), a cyclopropane fatty acid intermediate. CSO contains approximately 0.3% dihydrosterculic acid (DHSA), which is a cyclopropane fatty acid intermediate in the synthesis of sterculic and malvalic acid, both of which are known inhibitors of stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1). DHSA is a cyclopropene fatty acid that is found naturally in cottonseed oil and it blocks endogenous lipid synthesis and cholesterol biogenesis.
Cottonseed oil also contains relatively high levels of tocopherols. The total tocopherol content of crude cottonseed oil is about 1000 ppm, with the α- and γ-forms accounting for 41% and 58%, respectively, of the tocopherol content. In the U.S., α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol are the most common dietary tocopherols due to their high amounts in commercially produced vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, and cottonseed. These tocopherols function as lipid-soluble antioxidants that help protect the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the oil from peroxidative degradation.
Cottonseed oil naturally contains a mixture of phytosterols (approximately 1%), dominated by β-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol (also known as beta-stigmasterol or delta-5-stigmasterol), and isofucosterol (delta-5-avenasterol). This is 2–3 times higher than many other vegetable oils, and on par with rice bran oil, which is known to contain higher levels of plant phytosterols. Refining reduces the phytosterol content of cottonseed oil by about 15%, and the remaining phytosterols can be recovered from the deodorizer distillate byproduct where they accumulate at a level of 10–20%.
Gossypol is a phenolic compound produced by pigment glands in cotton stems, leaves, seeds, and flower buds (Gossypium spp.). It is present at meaningful concentrations in unrefined cottonseed oil but is substantially removed by commercial refining. Gossypol is a toxic compound found in unrefined cottonseed oil. Its anticancer effects have been studied for years, and the research continues. Gossypol is removed from cottonseed oil during the refining process, so the amount that remains in cooking oil is almost none at all. Non-oil compounds known to be toxic that may be found in cottonseed oils include gossypol, aflatoxin, and cyclopropenoid fatty acids (CPFA).
Two principal mechanisms have been identified for the lipid-modulating effects of cottonseed oil. The first is transcriptional regulation of lipid and cholesterol metabolisms by the high PUFA content of the oil. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid, modulate the expression of lipogenic and cholesterogenic genes, thereby reducing hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride synthesis.
In addition to a high PUFA content, CSO contains a cyclopropyl fatty acid, dihydrosterculic acid (DHSA), a known inhibitor of the lipogenic enzyme stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1). The combination of the DHSA-mediated inhibition of SCD1 and the regulation of lipogenic and cholesterogenic gene expression by the high PUFA content of CSO make it a potentially ideal nutritional therapeutic to target cardiovascular health.
DHSA is of note because it is a cyclopropyl intermediate in the synthesis of sterculic acid, which is a known inhibitor of the hepatic lipogenic enzyme SCD1, potentially mitigating hepatic lipid accumulation in response to excessive dietary fat, which could support improvements in cholesterol metabolism.
Preclinical research in mice provides additional mechanistic detail. Tissues analyzed via RNA-sequencing identified 45 differentially expressed genes within the CSO group, the majority of which are associated with lipid metabolic processes. Confirmational tissue analysis showed an increase in hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and PPARα target gene expression in the CSO group compared to control groups, suggesting that DHSA effects may be mediated through increased PPARα transcriptional activity and fatty acid oxidation (FAO).
Researchers suggested that dihydrosterculic acid may help prevent the accumulation of triglycerides in the body. "By doing that, it pushes the body to burn more of that fat because it can't store it properly, so you have less lipid and cholesterol accumulation," as explained by lead researcher Jamie Cooper.
A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial identified a further mechanism related to angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTLs). Both postprandial ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL4 showed treatment-by-visit interactions suggesting increases from pre- to post-intervention in olive oil but not in cottonseed oil groups. These data show a worsening (increase) of postprandial ANGPTLs after the olive oil, but not CSO, intervention. This aligns with previously reported data in which postprandial triglycerides were protected from increases compared with olive oil. ANGPTLs may mediate protective effects of CSO consumption on lipid control.
The phytosterol fraction of cottonseed oil may also contribute to cardiovascular effects. Clinical studies have demonstrated that the dietary intake of phytosterols (as part of a normal diet or as a supplement) may decrease blood cholesterol levels, resulting in significant reduction in the risk of heart disease. Phytosterols structurally compete with cholesterol for intestinal absorption and incorporation into mixed micelles, thereby reducing cholesterol uptake from the gut.
In clinical settings, an ointment containing β-sitosterol in a base of beeswax and sesame oil improved management of skin burns, acute dermatitis, and post-operative wound healing, in part due to its anti-inflammatory properties. The anti-inflammatory activity of β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol was further confirmed in activated keratinocytes and macrophages, as well as a preclinical model of psoriatic inflammation when applied topically at 1.4 mg/mL.
The most consistently studied health application of cottonseed oil involves its effects on blood lipid profiles. Multiple clinical trials have compared cottonseed oil-enriched diets to olive oil or other controls:
In one systematic review, only 2 trials (n = 58 participants) evaluating the effect of CSO versus olive oil on cardiovascular risk were identified that met the inclusion criteria. The findings from these studies suggest that CSO may improve lipid/lipoprotein concentrations and differentially affect ANGPTL-3, -4, and -8 compared with olive oil. Limited high-quality research suggests CSO may improve lipid/lipoprotein levels compared with olive oil. Cholesterol predictive equations suggest CSO can be incorporated into a healthy dietary pattern without significantly affecting lipids/lipoproteins.
Previous studies have demonstrated improvements in fasting total cholesterol, LDL-c, and HDL-c. However, in these human studies, diets provided 30–44% of total energy from CSO, which corresponded to high-fat diet intake (40–50% of energy). The impact of lower doses of CSO on human health has yet to be fully tested. An ongoing dose-response clinical trial at the University of Georgia uses four intervention arms: CSO LOW (10% energy from CSO), CSO MID (20% energy from CSO), CSO HIGH (30% energy from CSO), and CON (10% energy from a control oil mix) in a 28-day intervention. Preliminary evidence suggests that enriching diets with 10%, 20%, and 30% CSO improved fasting blood lipids in cardiovascular disease at-risk adults, with the best results observed at the 20% and 30% doses.
The cardiovascular lipid evidence for cottonseed oil is preliminary to moderate in strength. Most trials are small, short-duration, and conducted by a limited number of research groups. The systematic review identified only 2 qualifying trials. While findings are consistent in direction, the high doses of CSO used (providing 30–44% of total energy) do not reflect typical dietary patterns, and longer-term trials with clinical endpoints (e.g., cardiovascular events) are lacking. Despite having a relatively high amount of saturated fatty acids, preliminary studies demonstrate that incorporating CSO into a diet is sufficient to reduce blood lipid profiles and select postprandial measures of metabolism. Evidence shows that a fatty acid unique to CSO, dihydrosterculic acid (DHSA), may be responsible for some, if not all, the positive lipid-lowering effects.
Animal studies have investigated the effect of CSO on liver lipid levels. The CSO group showed lower plasma total cholesterol (−56%), free cholesterol (−53%), triglycerides (−61%), and LDL (−42%) versus a high-fat group, whereas the olive oil diet lowered LDL (−18%) versus the high-fat group. Furthermore, the CSO diet decreased hepatic total cholesterol (−40%), free cholesterol (−23%), and triglycerides (−47%). Metabolomic analyses revealed that the livers of CSO-fed mice closely matched those of chow-fed mice but significantly differed from saturated fatty acid– and 18:2-enriched groups. These findings are from animal models and have not yet been confirmed in human hepatic outcomes trials. This evidence is therefore preclinical only and cannot be directly extrapolated to human liver disease.
Recent research evidence suggests that cottonseed oil may have both direct and indirect anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative impacts linked to bioactive components of CSO and favorable alterations in lipid metabolism. These impacts are directly related to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. A clinical trial at Montana State University is actively investigating these hypotheses. Specifically, the hypotheses being tested include whether CSO consumption will lower exercise-induced oxidative stress, and whether CSO will lower inflammatory cytokines and metabolic markers linked to inflammation in human participants. The published clinical evidence specifically on inflammation and oxidative stress in humans remains limited, and robust human trial results in this domain are not yet available. This area is investigational.
Cotton seeds contain a significant amount of oil with a high-quality fatty acid composition. Rich in linoleic, palmitic, and oleic fatty acid, sterols, tocopherols, and other beneficial compounds, cottonseed oil has moisturizing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties that can benefit personal care. Historically, cottonseed oil has not received the same recognition as other plant-based oils, likely due to cotton's primary role as a fiber crop rather than an oilseed, and its potential in the cosmetic industry remains largely untapped.
The phytosterol fraction is of particular interest for topical application. An ointment containing β-sitosterol in a base of beeswax and sesame oil improved management of skin burns, acute dermatitis, and post-operative wound healing in part due to its anti-inflammatory properties. However, these findings relate to β-sitosterol in isolation, not to cottonseed oil as such. Tocopherols are natural antioxidants that stop or delay primary oxidation, thus contributing to high oxidative stability of cottonseed oil and its formulations by scavenging lipid peroxyl radicals and protecting the cell membrane.
Hydrogenated cottonseed oil in formulation (up to approximately 21%) was neither an irritant nor sensitizer in clinical studies. Limited clinical data indicated that cottonseed oil does not contain allergic protein. Evidence in this domain is largely based on in vitro, preclinical, and mechanistic data; well-designed human trials specifically evaluating topical cottonseed oil for defined dermatological conditions are lacking.
Some clinical work has examined postprandial glycemic effects alongside lipid responses. Studies have demonstrated that incorporating CSO into the diet is sufficient to improve postprandial lipid and/or glycemic responses in both healthy and at-risk populations. However, the specific glycemic evidence remains limited and embedded within broader cardiovascular feeding trials. This effect is preliminary and requires dedicated glucose metabolism trials for confirmation.
Cottonseed oil is not approved or regulated as a pharmaceutical agent. In food contexts and clinical research, the following dosage levels have been reported:
The most significant regulatory safety development concerns the partially hydrogenated form. In 2015, FDA released its final determination that Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHOs) are not Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). The determination is based on extensive research into the effects of PHOs, as well as input from stakeholders during the public comment period. PHOs are the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods. Partially hydrogenated soybean oil and partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil are "the primary dietary source of industrially-produced trans fatty acids, or trans fats," and new scientific evidence and the findings of various experts led FDA to conclude that the oils are not GRAS "for any use in food."
With respect to removing PHOs from the food supply, the FDA established January 1, 2021, as the final compliance date to allow manufacturers time to reformulate foods and ensure an orderly transition in the marketplace. On December 22, 2023, the FDA completed final administrative actions on the revocation of uses of PHOs in food. Fully hydrogenated and unhydrogenated (refined) cottonseed oil are not subject to this ban.
Gossypol is a phenolic compound produced by pigment glands in cotton stems, leaves, seeds, and flower buds. High concentrations of free gossypol may be responsible for acute clinical signs of gossypol poisoning, which include respiratory distress, impaired body weight gain, anorexia, weakness, apathy, and death after several days. The most common toxic effect is the impairment of male and female reproduction. Another important toxic effect of gossypol is its interference with immune function, reducing resistance to infections and impairing the efficiency of vaccines. These effects have been primarily documented in animal feeding studies; gossypol is substantially removed by commercial oil refining and its residual presence in refined food-grade cottonseed oil is negligible.
Non-oil compounds known to be toxic that may be found in cottonseed oils include gossypol, aflatoxin, and cyclopropenoid fatty acids (CPFA). CPFA present in crude oil — primarily sterculic and malvalic acids — can interfere with fatty acid desaturation and have been associated with adverse effects in animal models at doses far exceeding those present in refined oil. Standard commercial refining substantially reduces these compounds.
Toxic heavy metal and/or polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) or other pesticide contamination is also possible in cottonseed oil, given that cotton is an intensively farmed crop with historically high pesticide use. Food-grade refined oil is subject to regulatory limits. It was concluded that cottonseed oil-derived cosmetic ingredients may be used safely in cosmetic formulations if established limits on gossypol, heavy metals, and pesticide concentrations are not exceeded.
Cottonseed oil was nontoxic in acute oral toxicity studies in rats. Cottonseed oil was not mutagenic in the studies reviewed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel. Hydrogenated cottonseed oil in formulation (up to approximately 21%) was neither an irritant nor sensitizer in clinical studies. Limited clinical data indicated that cottonseed oil does not contain allergic protein.
Despite evidence for lipid-lowering properties in controlled trials, the relatively high saturated fat content of cottonseed oil (approximately 26%) is a consideration when evaluating its overall cardiovascular profile. To date, the cardiovascular benefits of CSO enrichment in the diet have only been shown in healthy adults over a single week or in short controlled feeding trials, and long-term studies assessing cardiovascular event rates are not available. Compared with a healthy eating pattern, incorporating 27 g of CSO was predicted to increase total cholesterol and LDL-C levels by 2.4 mg/dL relative to an already-optimized diet — a nuance that underscores the context-dependence of its lipid effects.
Current evidence for cottonseed oil's health effects is limited primarily to small-scale, short-term human feeding trials, a single systematic review identifying only 2 qualifying clinical studies, and preclinical animal and in vitro work. No long-term randomized controlled trials examining clinical cardiovascular endpoints, cancer outcomes, or safety over years of habitual consumption have been conducted. Its skin health applications lack rigorous human clinical trial data. Ongoing registered clinical trials (e.g., NCT05686954, NCT06382298, NCT05439590, NCT07246408) are expected to provide more definitive data on dose-response relationships, anti-inflammatory effects, and longer-duration safety.
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CSO is a documented source of tocopherols (~35 mg vitamin E per 100 g), which are established dietary antioxidants. The 2025 Frontiers in Pharmacology review identified CSO's tocopherol profile as contributing to oxidative stability and antioxidant capacity. A registered clinical trial (NCT05439590) is specifically testing CSO's ability to lower exercise-induced oxidative stress vs. olive oil in humans.
CSO consumption has been shown to reduce markers linked to arterial disease risk, notably LDL-C, TNF-α, and tissue factor (a coagulation marker relevant to thrombosis). In the 5-day crossover RCT in healthy men, CSO lowered TNF-α and tissue factor compared to olive oil. LDL-C reductions seen in longer trials map onto estimated reductions in coronary artery disease risk via validated predictive equations.
The 8-week RCT in hypercholesterolemic adults showed CSO diet enrichment improved postprandial glycemia compared to olive oil, specifically attenuating the plasma glucose rise following a high-saturated-fat challenge meal. This was a secondary outcome in the trial; no dedicated CSO blood sugar trials exist.
Multiple randomized controlled trials show dietary cottonseed oil (CSO) significantly lowers total cholesterol and LDL-C compared to olive oil. A 2022 RCT in hypercholesterolemic adults found a 12.2% LDL-C reduction with 8 weeks of CSO enrichment. A 2018 crossover trial in healthy men demonstrated lower fasting total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglycerides after just 5 days on a CSO-rich diet. A systematic review (Nutrition Reviews, 2023) confirmed these findings but noted the evidence base remains limited.
Despite CSO's high n-6 PUFA content — a class theoretically pro-inflammatory — clinical trials have not shown CSO to increase inflammatory markers in humans. A 5-day RCT found CSO reduced TNF-α and tissue factor vs. olive oil. A 4-week RCT (2025) found no increase in inflammatory markers with CSO diet enrichment. An 8-week RCT in hypercholesterolemic adults found no significant differences in inflammatory or coagulation markers between CSO and olive oil groups.
CSO's PUFA-rich profile and its demonstrated effects on cholesterol, triglycerides, and inflammatory markers suggest a cardioprotective dietary role. The 12.2% LDL-C reduction observed in an 8-week RCT is estimated to correspond to a 14.6–21.4% reduction in coronary artery disease risk. Ongoing research continues to evaluate CSO as a nutritional approach for improving cardiometabolic risk.
Clinical trials show CSO consumption lowers fasting and postprandial triglycerides compared to olive oil. The 5-day RCT in healthy men found triglycerides were significantly reduced after CSO diet enrichment. The 8-week RCT in hypercholesterolemic adults showed CSO protected against postprandial triglyceride rises following a high-saturated-fat meal challenge, while olive oil did not. ANGPTL-3 and ANGPTL-4 modulation by CSO appears to mediate part of this effect.
Cottonseed oil is documented in Ayurvedic medicine as a mild laxative used in oral digestive preparations, often combined with herbs such as ginger or fennel. Traditional formulations including cottonseed in Ayurvedic digestive preparations have been referenced in the literature. No clinical trial has evaluated CSO specifically for constipation.
CSO's phytosterols — particularly β-sitosterol — have shown anti-inflammatory activity in activated keratinocytes and macrophages relevant to dermatitis. A clinical ointment containing β-sitosterol improved management of acute dermatitis in a clinical setting (Geara et al., 2018, cited in Frontiers in Pharmacology 2025). Traditional Ayurvedic uses of CSO include addressing skin inflammation. No RCT using CSO itself for diagnosed dermatitis exists.
Cottonseed oil has documented traditional use as a topical skin moisturizer and emollient, particularly in Ayurvedic traditions and in Tamil Nadu where cottonseed milk (paruthi paal) is a skincare staple. Its linoleic acid content is mechanistically relevant to skin barrier maintenance. A 2025 review in Frontiers in Pharmacology noted CSO's linoleic-to-oleic acid ratio supports skin barrier function, though direct clinical trials on dry skin are lacking.
The phytosterols present in CSO have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in a preclinical model of psoriatic inflammation (Chang et al., 2023, cited in Frontiers in Pharmacology 2025). Traditional Ayurvedic use of CSO includes management of inflammatory skin conditions. Vitamin E in CSO has shown benefits in psoriasis. No clinical trial has tested CSO directly for psoriasis.
CSO is rich in vitamin E (~35 mg/100 g) and linoleic acid, which have documented antioxidant and skin barrier-protective properties relevant to skin aging and photoaging. The 2025 Frontiers in Pharmacology review identified CSO's tocopherol and phytosterol content as providing oxidative stability and skin-protective properties. Traditional use of CSO in skin preparations for maintaining a youthful complexion is documented in Ayurveda.
Traditional use of cottonseed oil for wound healing has been documented in Turkish herbal medicine (as a base for ointments treating cuts) and in Ayurvedic practice for managing inflammation and wounds. The 2025 Frontiers in Pharmacology review documented these uses. CSO's vitamin E and linoleic acid content provide a mechanistic rationale, but no clinical trials directly testing CSO for wound healing in humans have been identified.
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