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Human Reproduction, Vol. 9, No. 11, pp. 1999-2005, 1994
© 1994 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

research-article

Contraception: Effects of cholic acid and ‘Protectaid’ formulations on human sperm motility and ultrastructure

A.M. Courtot1, Nikas Nikas2, A. Gravanis3 and A. Psychoyos2,4

1Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction, UFR Kremlin Bicêtre, Université Paris XI Kremlin Bicêtre 94270, France 2Hôpital Bicêtre, Bâtiment INSERM Gregory Pincus 80 rue du Général Leclerc, Kremlin-Bicêtre 94276, France 3Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete Heraklion 71110, Greece

Correspondence: 4To whom correspondence should be addressed

Cholic acid (sodium cholate) and the other active ingredients of F-5 gel preparations in use for the impregnation of a new vaginal sponge (Protectaid®) with contraceptive and anti-sexually transmitted disease properties, were assessed for their effects on human sperm motility and ultrastructure. Cholic acid (CA) produced an inhibition of motility which was both dose- and time-dependent. A complete suppression of motility was obtained at 30 s by a CA concentration of 1.25%. Nonoxynol-9 (NX9) compared with benzalkonium chloride (BZC) showed no significant difference at the concentration required (0.025%) to give a total inhibition of sperm motility after exposure for 30 s. The addition of F-5A gel containing 0.5% of each one of the spermicide ingredients (C A, NX9 and BZC) produced the total suppression of sperm motility within 30 s at a dilution of 1/50. Another preparation, F-5B gel, containing the spermicide ingredients at different concentrations (1.25% CA, 0.125% NX9 and 0.05% BZC) produced this same effect with a 1/10 dilution. Exposure of semen to a CA concentration of 1.25% or to 1/10 dilutions of F-5A gel for 30 s led to profound changes of sperm ultrastructure studied by scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy. SEM and TEM findings indicate that CA acts as a spermicide through its ‘natural detergent’ properties, damaging the outer plasma membrane of sperm cells. Protectaid formulations affect sperm motility and viability in a similar way.

Key words: cholic acid/barrier contraceptives/contraceptive/human sperm ultrastructure/spermicides/vaginal sponge


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