The effects of drugs on sperm

Abstract

Spermatogenesis is a complex process which takes about 70 days in the human. Its endocrine control may be affected by various hormones, antihormones or psychotrophic drugs. Cytotoxic agents, or industrial chemicals such as dibromochloropropane, directly affect the germinal epithelium. Sperm maturation may be impaired by alpha-chlorohydrin, antiandrogens, or sulphasalazine, and sperm motility in the female genital tract can be inhibited by vaginal spermicides such as nonoxynol-9 and by propranolol. Drug treatment of idiopathic oligozoospermia is disappointing, though gonadotrophins or their releasing hormone are useful in treating gonadotrophin deficiency. As far as contraception is concerned, there is still no suitable 'male pill': combinations of hormonal steroids are not sufficiently effective and gossypol appears to be too toxic.