Friend™ feminine wipes, disinfectant impregnanted fibre Nssues meant for the maintenance of female hygiene, was evaluated for its effect on sperm viability in-vitro and found to be spermicidal. These feminine wipes are therefore not recommended for use at coitus in couples who are planning
pregnancies. Although the wipes were found to have spermicidal properties they are not recommended for the purpose of contraception
Lactobacilli are well-documented probiotics that exert health benefits on their host. They exhibit characteristics that make them potential alternative treatments to address the antimicrobial resistance conundrum and diseases. Their mechanism of action varies with strain and species. Five lactobacilli strains previously isolated from the anogenital region were subjected to several assessments highlighted in the FAO/WHO document, ‘Guidelines for the Evaluation of Probiotics in Food’ to determine its suitability as potential probiotics. Methods: The five lactobacilli strains were subcultured onto Man de Rogosa agar (MRS). Their ability to auto- and co-aggregate was determined spectrophotometrically. Simultaneously, the cell surface hydrophobic properties of these strains towards xylene and toluene were evaluated using the microbial adhesion to hydrocarbon (MATH) test. The lactobacilli strains were also tested for their ability to withstand acid, bile and spermicide to determine their level of tolerance. Results: Lact. reuteri 29A, L. delbrueckii 45E and L. reuteri 29B exhibited the highest degree of auto- and co-aggregation properties. These lactobacilli strains also demonstrated high cell surface hydrophobicity, with the exception of L. delbrueckii 45E. Further tests to evaluate the isolated lactobacilli tolerance identified L. reuteri 29B as the most tolerant strain towards low pH (pH 2.5 for 4 h), high bile concentration (0.5% for 4 h) and high spermicides concentration (up to 10%). Conclusion: Out of the five lactobacilli strains which possessed high antimicrobial activities, L. reuteri 29B portrayed the best probiotic qualities with good auto- and co-aggregation abilities and high tolerance against acid, bile and spermicide.
PIP:
The efficacy of a recently marketed posttesticular male oral contraceptive, Contrasperm, was assessed in a clinical trial involving 32 Malaysian volunteers ages 21-39 years. Contrasperm is claimed to be a pure botanical extract free of toxic chemicals, steroids, and hormones. The drug is believed to cause cells surrounding the sperm in the seminiferous tubules to secrete carbon dioxide, producing a weakly acidic environment that greatly increases the sperms' metabolism and reduces the pH of semen from its normal level of 7.5 to 1.5. The manufacturer claims that this drop in pH decreases motility from 95% to 0%. Semen samples were collected by masturbation from subjects to provide baseline data. 3 days after the initial sperm analysis, subjects were given 1 capsule of Contrasperm containing 10 mcg of the active ingredient. Additional semen analyses were conducted 30 minutes, 6 hours, and 24 hours after ingestion. Sperm count and sperm motility were greatly reduced in most subjects 30 minutes after ingestion. However, 6 subjects had increased sperm counts and 4 subjects demonstrated increased sperm motility, indicating an enhancing effect. At 6 hours after ingestion, 20 subjects had lowered sperm motility and 12 subjects showed normal sperm motility, contradicting the manufacturer's claim that motility is reduced to 0%. Although Contrasperm is claimed to be effective for 6-8 hours after ingestion, its effect wore off in less than 6 hours in 37% of subjects. Both sperm count and sperm motility returned to normal levels 24 hours after ingestion, confirming the reversibility of this drug. Most subjects reported mild side effects such as muscle weakness, blurred vision, dizziness, perspiration, urgency, abnormal muscle tension, and dry throat which persisted longer than 24 hours. Further studies, with proper controls, are needed to assess the reliability and toxicity of this preparation.