Left: Normal Sperm Right: Deformed Sperm

 

[is it just me or does the "normal" sperm looked wacked out as well. on second thought, its probably not human]

 

A male contraceptive that works by deforming sperm could available within just a few years, if tests on men go well.

 

The drug is taken as a pill, not injected, and it could have fewer side effects than experimental hormonal male contraceptives, which include a cocktail of hormones designed to suppress sperm production while maintaining normal testosterone levels.

 

The drug, N-butyldeoxynojirimycin (NB-DNJ), inhibits an enzyme that produces glucosylceramide. This sugar-fat compound is vital for sperm creation.

 

In mice, sperm live no longer than three weeks before being replaced. After three weeks on the drug, the mouse in the study became fully infertile. After three weeks off, they regained their fertility. In men, the on-off period would be about 40 days, says Oxford University's Frances Platt, who led the new work.

 

Source: NewScientist

 

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.262586099)

 

Could have less side effects? Personally I wouldn't take a drug that inhibits glucosylceramide, since a quick search revealed it's present in all eukaryotic cells.

Originally posted by fafalone

Could have less side effects? Personally I wouldn't take a drug that inhibits glucosylceramide, since a quick search revealed it's present in all eukaryotic cells.

 

yeah it only has one side effect: death