Mechanism of action of some acrylophenones, quinolines and dithiocarbamate as potent, non-detergent spermicidal agents.

Some suitably substituted acrylophenones, quinolines and dithiocarbamate were synthesized as new generation, non-detergent spermicides and were studied for their mechanism of action in comparison with various known spermicides belonging to several different classes of chemical compound. Nonoxynol-9, benzalkonium chloride, Sapindus saponins, verapamil, emetine and tartaric acid were used as reference molecules to study the effect of new spermicides on human sperm motility parameters (using computer-assisted semen analyzer), plasma membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation and defense system against reactive oxygen species (ROS). Results have indicated that sperm plasma membrane remains the primary site of action of most of the spermicides, though the effect may be predominantly on the physiological integrity rather than the structural integrity in case of the new compounds. Lipid peroxidation may play an important role in disrupting sperm membrane physiology that may or may not be accompanied with a detrimental effect on the defense system of the human spermatozoa against the ROS.