Evaluation of the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the spermicides nonoxynol-9 and octoxynol-9.
The cytotoxic and genotoxic potentials of the spermicidal agents, nonoxynol-9 (N-9) and octoxynol-9 (0-9), were evaluated in in vitro test systems using rat liver cells. N-9 was also tested for the induction of sperm abnormalities in mice. Dose-related cytocidal effects were seen after the addition of N-9 and O-9 to the culture medium for 24 h. The mean concentrations of N-9 and O-9 necessary to decrease the number of viable cells by 50% (LC50) were 24 and 43 micrograms/ml of media, respectively. The spermicides neither induced DNA repair in freshly isolated hepatocytes, nor caused any mutations at HGPRT locus in the T51B rat liver cell line. There was also a lack of malignant transformation response in the low-calcium assay. Further, the germinal cells of mice remained unaffected by N-9.
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D017137:Nonoxynol; D017830:Octoxynol; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*
D017137:Nonoxynol; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D017830:Octoxynol; D004247:DNA; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate