Try a reversible short-acting male contraceptive in mice

2023/02/14 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna
• Medikuntza
• Anatomia/Fisiologia

For one reason or another, male contraceptive methods fail to overcome clinical sessions and reach the market. It should be noted that these same reasons (tendency to thicken, acne, or mood fluctuations) have not been an obstacle for women. Now, in order to offer men a safe, non-hormonal, reversible and optional contraceptive, they've tried a new compound in mice with satisfactory outcomes.

As explained in the journal Nature communications, the compound is called TDI-11861 and causes the enzyme adenilil cyclase to be disabled for a short time. In fact, this enzyme is essential for sperm to arrive and be able to move in the female reproductive tract towards the egg.

The experiment with male mice has shown that the compound is safe and effective. When placed with females, it did not influence their sexual activity, nor did any female become pregnant. Females were taken sperm and stated that they had no capacity to fertilize. However, when three hours passed, male mice were reproductive.

In men it has a long way to go to prove it, but at least the first step has been a success.