M.S. Fahim

Effect of lead acetate on reproduction

Abstract One hundred and twenty sexually mature male and female rats were divided into three groups (control and treated with 5 mcg. or 100 mcg. for 30 days). Results indicate a significant increase ( P

Heat in male contraception (hot water 60 °C, infrared, microwave, and ultrasound)

Abstract Spermatogenesis in the mammalian male is disturbed by high ambient temperature. 300 male rats weighing 250–300 gm were divided into 5 groups. Group I, control; Group II, testes were exposed for 15 minutes to water at 60 °C; Group III, testicular temperature was raised to 60 °C for 15 minutes by infrared spot heater concentrating radiant energy from a 750 watt iodine cycle lamp focused on the testes; Group IV, testes were treated with a microwave diathermy unit radiating energy at 2450 megacycles/second for 1, 5, or 15 minutes; Group V, ultrasound 1.0 w/sq cm was applied once or twice, or 2.0 w/sq cm was applied once. The animals were mated with proestrus females 24 hours after treatment, then followed each 5 days with another female until pregnancy was documented to have occurred in females. This was continued for 10 months, the duration of this experiment. Group II males impregnated females after 30–35 days, while those in Group III impregnated females after 60–75 days. Groups IV and V impregnated females after 65–80 days, after 150–210 days, or did not impregnate females during the 10-month stuay—depending on the power and duration in the case of microwave, and the dosage, duration, and frequency of application in the case of ultrasound. No significant difference in blood testosterone levels occurred in treated animals. Seminiferous tubules were either normal in histological appearance or showed partial degranulation, especially in Groups IV and V. Long-term effects of recurrent heat application are under investigation. This pilot study offers the possibility of reversible and irreversible sterilization for human males as well as a new method of animal population control in the U.S.A.

Sterilization of dogs with intra-epididymal injection of zinc arginine

Condoms and vasectomy are the only fertility control methods available to males. Fifty million surgical vasectomies have been performed worldwide. In spite of improvements in the surgical techniques, the widespread use of vasectomy is limited due mainly to fear of genital operation. Chemical sterilization offers a promising new approach as an alternative to surgery. Fifteen sexually mature, mixed breed, male dogs, 2-3 1/2 years of age and weighing 22 +/- 1.8 kg, were divided into two groups. Five control placebo animals were injected with 0.5 ml of saline into the cauda epididymis, and ten treated animals were injected with 0.5 ml of 50 mg of zinc arginine into the cauda epididymis. Semen analysis performed before injection showed no significant difference between control placebo and treated groups. The control placebo animals exhibited a significant reduction in sperm motility one month after injection, which returned to normal within two months, and no change in semen volume, sperm abnormalities, or sperm concentration analyzed monthly for twelve months. The zinc arginine-treated animals achieved azoospermia ninety days after injection. The dogs were sacrificed one year after injection. There was no significant reduction of reproductive organ weights of the treated group as compared to the control placebo group. Although histological examination of the testes revealed normal seminiferous tubules, there was atrophy of the rete testes of the zinc arginine-treated group and, thus, increase in connective tissue. Histological examination of epididymides of the zinc arginine-treated group indicated that none of the cells in the head, body, and tail of the epididymis and ductus deferens contained sperm; 90% of the coils were empty and 10% contained amorphous pink cell debris; the coils decreased in diameter and were lined by cuboidal to columnar epithelium; no granuloma was observed. There was no significant change in serum testosterone level of control placebo and treated groups. These results offer the possibility of a new method of permanent sterilization instead of surgery. Zinc is considered to be nonmutagenic, noncarcinogenic, and nonteratogenic.

Zinc acetate and lyophilized aloe barbadensis as vaginal contraceptive

Twenty samples of fresh ejaculate, donated by healthy volunteers ranging in age from 20-30 years, were obtained from the Center for Fertility & Cryobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. Average semen volume was 2.49 ml; average sperm motility was 71.32%; and average sperm density was 113.71 x 10(6) /ml. Testing for spermicidal effectiveness of a 1% concentration of zinc acetate, zinc sulfate, zinc chloride, and zinc gluconate proved that only zinc acetate was spermicidal. It appears this is due to the acetate in zinc acetate which may decrease oxygen utilization by sperm. Zinc acetate in vitro was antiviral while lyophilized aloe barbadensis was not. Lyophilized aloe barbadensis at concentrations of 7.5% and 10% proved to be spermicidal due to the multiple micro elements (boron, barium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc) which were toxic to the tail causing instant immobilization. The two compounds did not irritate or cause ulceration of rabbit vaginal epithelium. These results suggest the possibility of using zinc acetate and lyophilized aloe barbadensis as a new, effective and safe vaginal contraceptive.

Ultrasound as a New Method of Male Contraception

Twenty male cats were treated once or twice with 1 watt/sq cm of ultrasound for 10 minutes. Each of 24 male dogs received one to three treatments with 1 watt/sq cm for 10 minutes. Another six dogs were treated with 2 watts/sq cm for 15 minutes. Four Cebus apella monkeys were treated with the same dosage as that used for the cats and dogs. A dosage of 1 watt/sq cm for 10 minutes was also applied to four human patients without the use of anesthetics, and no pain or side effects were noted. In all treated animals as well as in human patients the results indicate that ultrasound significantly suppresses spermatogenesis according to the dosage and frequency of treatment, without any effect on Leydig cells or blood testosterone levels.

Effect of ovarian steroids on hepatic metabolism

Abstract The effect of progesterone on hepatic metabolism of sexually mature rats varies according to the sex of the recipient.

Urinary D-glucaric acid

Abstract The administration of phenobarbital, a known hepatic microsomal enzyme induction agent, to human females causes a significant increase in urinary D-glucaric acid. Similar increases occur following administration of progesterone. These observations indicate that urinary glucaric acid reflects hepatic metabolic function and can be used as an index of microsomal enzyme activity in the human female.

Induced alterations in the biologic activity of estrogen

Phenobarbital reduces the biologic effectiveness of endogenous and exogenous estrogen in sexually mature virgin mice. This function of phenobarbital is documented by failure in maintenance of uterine weight and nitrogen content. Phenobarbital significantly increased liver weights and total nitrogen content. The ability of phenobarbital to act as an enzyme-inducing agent is curtailed in animals after ovariectomy.

Ceruloplasmin and alkaline phosphatase levels in cord serum of term, preterm, and physiologically jaundiced neonates

Ceruloplasmin levels were found to be significantly lower (35 per cent, p < 0.001) in cord serum from neonates who developed clinical physiological jaundice than in cord serum from normal newborns. Levels were also lower (35 per cent, p < 0.001) in preterm than in term infants. However, ceruloplasmin levels in cord serum were 25 to 30 per cent lower in neonates who developed clinical physiological jaundice than in normal infants of similar gestational age. No difference in alkaline phosphatase levels was observed between the term and preterm cord serum.

Zinc arginine, a 5α-reductase inhibitor, reduces rat ventral prostate weight and DNA without affecting testicular function

Summary. Zinc has been implicated in steroid endocrinology of the prostate gland; and 5α‐dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is believed to express androgenic responses in the prostate. To note the effect of neutralized zinc (zinc gluconate + arginine) on the prostate, 50 sexually mature rats, weighing 325 ± 20 g, were divided into five groups as follows: (1) control, (2) sham, (3) castrated, and injected intraprostatically with (4) 10 mg neutralized zinc, and (5) 20 mg neutralized zinc. Results indicated significant reduction (P<0.05) of prostate weight, 5α‐reductase activity, and total protein and DNA concentrations in treated prostate tissue; no significant change in weight and histological structure of testes, epididymides, and seminal vesicles; and no significant effect on progeny and blood testosterone level of treated animals. These results suggest that direct application of neutralized zinc to the prostate offers a new modality for treatment of prostatitis without affecting spermatogenesis.