Human spermicidal activity of inorganic and organic oxidants.
OBJECTIVE
To identify prospective oxidants that rapidly immobilize human sperm upon contact with human semen.


METHODS
Inorganic, organic, and enzymatically-generated oxidants were mixed with human semen and spermicidal activity was tracked by a modified Sander-Cramer assay.


METHODS
Commercial and university-based laboratories.


METHODS
Semen samples obtained through a university-based andrology laboratory.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Quantitation of spermicidal activity of test oxidants.


RESULTS
Sperm lost motility within 20 seconds of exposure to enzymatically generated free iodine (I(2)). Toluidine blue, phenazine methosulfate, or methylene blue exhibited some, albeit much less, spermicidal activity. Oxidants formed by mixing ascorbic acid with Fe(III)-EDTA, xanthine with xanthine oxidase, or by exposing sperm to the nitric oxide generator, SIN-1 (3-morpholinosydnonimine hydrochloride), were far less potent spermicidal agents.


CONCLUSIONS
Free I(2) formed in situ and presented to semen is an extremely potent spermicide. Additional studies on methods of generating de novo I(2) may be beneficial in developing a novel new class of nondetergent-based spermicides.
Green
T R
TR
Research and Development Division, OxiBio, Inc., Portland, Oregon, USA. green@oxibio.com
Fellman
J H
JH
Wolf
D P
DP
D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D016877:Oxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013078:Sperm Immobilizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013089:Spermatocidal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*
D016877:Oxidants; D013078:Sperm Immobilizing Agents; D013089:Spermatocidal Agents; D007455:Iodine