title: Assessment of spermicidal activity of the antimicrobial peptide sarcotoxin Pd: A potent contraceptive agent.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In searching for new spermicidal microbicides for use in the prevention of unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) we investigated the spermicidal and cytotoxicity activities of the antimicrobial peptide sarcotoxin Pd.
  
  
  METHODS
  Washed sperm from 10 healthy, normal volunteers was treated with different concentrations of sarcotoxin Pd. Sperm motility and morphology were assessed at 0, 0.3, 5, 10 and 15 min. The cytotoxicity of sarcotoxin Pd in normal human cervical HeLa cells was measured. Percentage cell survival was expressed as the number of live cells in the test group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cytotoxic effect of sarcotoxin Pd was concentration-dependent. Significant cytotoxicity was observed at concentrations above 24 μg/ml. Sarcotoxin Pd immobilised 100% of spermatozoa at a dose of 90 and 80 μg/ml after 0.3 and 5 min, respectively, and immobilised 50% of spermatozoa after 15 min at lower doses. Sarcotoxin Pd inhibited sperm motility in a dose-dependent manner. The peptide immobilised sperm within 20 s at its maximal effective concentration of 90 μg/ml.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sarcotoxin Pd appears to be a good candidate for a contraceptive agent in the prevention of unplanned pregnancy and STIs.
authors.affiliation: a Young Researchers and Elite Club, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University , Yazd , Iran.|b Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services , Yazd , Iran.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zare-Zardini
authors.affiliation: c Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences , Yazd , Iran.|d Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences , Yazd , Iran.
authors.forename: Farzaneh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fesahat
authors.affiliation: c Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences , Yazd , Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anbari
authors.affiliation: c Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences , Yazd , Iran.
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Halvaei
authors.affiliation: e Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003272:Contraceptive Agents, Male / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013089:Spermatocidal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003272:Contraceptive Agents, Male; D012503:Saponins; D013089:Spermatocidal Agents; D014315:Triterpenes; C108953:platycodin D
keywords: Antimicrobial peptide; Contraceptive; Cytotoxicity; Sexually transmitted infection; Spermicidal; Unplanned pregnancy