Sperm will not touch the egg when humans use this compound

American experts have found a new plant-derived compound with miraculous contraceptive effects.

A new study of plant chemical compounds that can prevent fertilized eggs and sperm from being made by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley.

Specifically, chemical compounds that extract pristimerin and lupeol triterpenoids from plants have the potential to block the normal fertilization mechanism of eggs and sperm.

Picture 1 of Sperm will not touch the egg when humans use this compound
This compound prevents sperm from reaching the egg.

Rather, it will prevent the production of progesterone hormone when sperm reaches the egg to stop the sperm's calcium channel (called CatSper ).

According to experts, this method is much better than emergency contraception because it prevents sperm naturally.

From where did the experts come up with this idea?

Initially, the researchers found that testosterone and hydrocortisone steroids block progesterone production and activate CatSper.

That explains why when there is a high amount of steroids in the body (sometimes caused by stress), fertility in women decreases.

From this finding, the researchers found other compounds that block sperm's ability to swim.

Picture 2 of Sperm will not touch the egg when humans use this compound
If the extract is successful, this medicine will be better than emergency contraception many times.

And after much time, studies have shown that both pristimerin and lupeol prevent progesterone from binding them to a protein called ADHD2 , proteins that can activate CatSper.

"If the extract is successful, it will be better than emergency contraceptives many times because it prevents sperm naturally" - that is the conclusion scientists led this study.

"The two compounds from this plant can block conception in a very small amount, lower than the dose," said Lishko, head of the department of molecular and biological cell science, Lishko, who led the study. The amount of levonorgestrel needed in Plan B emergency contraceptives is 10 times, so they can be considered as new generation emergency contraceptives that we call "" condom molecules . "

Researcher Mannowetz of the University of California, Berkeley said: " Compare with universal contraceptives, when you drink, you are stuffing a heap of hormones into your body. It is very dangerous if we use the medication to avoid it. pregnancy is often frequent, so this new drug has many new advantages. "

In the early 2000s, many studies have shown that blocking CatSper can cause infertility in male mice.

The biggest advantage of a contraceptive made from pristimerin or lupeol is that they only focus on blocking CatSper mechanism , which only affects sperm, not affect steroid or hormones.

Picture 3 of Sperm will not touch the egg when humans use this compound
The biggest advantage of a contraceptive made from pristimerin or lupeol is that it only focuses on sperm.

That eliminates side effects like blood clots that often go with normal birth control pills, Mannowetz said.

The National Academy of Sciences is working to successfully synthesize a handy contraceptive from these two pristimerin and lupeol compounds.

If successful, we will have a safe and effective contraceptive medication many times faster than current contraceptives. Hopefully scientists can quickly synthesize this useful drug.

The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.