Ouabain, a plant extract is soon to be formulated as a birth control pill for men.
African warriors and hunters traditionally used Ouabainas a heart-stopping poison on their arrows. Two types of African plants make ouabain. Mammals also produce it in their bodies, though at lower levels that are thought to help control blood pressure; doctors sometimes prescribe small doses of the compound to treat heart attack patients.
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‘A subunit of the plant extract ouabain called α4 which is found only in sperm cells can be critical in male fertility.’
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Ouabain disrupts the passage of sodium and calcium ions through the membrane protein Na, K-ATPases, which are found in cell membranes and are made up of protein subunits.
Some subunits are found in cardiac tissue, but one type of subunit called α4 is found only in sperm cells. This protein is known to be critical in fertility -- at least in male mice.
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A birth control patch is a new method of contraception for women for once weekly external application and contains both estrogen and progesterone.
Ouabain binds strongly to α4, but it also binds to other Na,K-ATPase subunits, albeit less tightly. Prior clinical studies have shown that ouabain curbs fertility in men. However, ouabain itself isn't an option as a contraceptive because of the risk of heart damage.
So Gunda Georg, Gustavo Blanco, and colleagues set out to design ouabain analogs that are far more likely to bind to the α4 protein in sperm than to subunits found in heart tissue.
Source: Eurekalert
Birth Control Patch
A birth control patch is a new method of contraception for women for once weekly external application and contains both estrogen and progesterone.
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Ouabain binds strongly to α4, but it also binds to other Na,K-ATPase subunits, albeit less tightly. Prior clinical studies have shown that ouabain curbs fertility in men. However, ouabain itself isn't an option as a contraceptive because of the risk of heart damage.
So Gunda Georg, Gustavo Blanco, and colleagues set out to design ouabain analogs that are far more likely to bind to the α4 protein in sperm than to subunits found in heart tissue.
Source: Eurekalert
Birth Control Pills to Delay Periods
Thinking of delaying your period with birth control pills? First, you should know all the benefits and risks. Find out more about your options here.
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 Safe, Effective Male Contraceptive Pill - The Long WaitA lot of research is going on all over the world to create a male birth control pill and soon, it could become a reality. | Advertisement
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