Currently available contraceptive methods offer a variety of options for women, but only very few for
men which include surgical methods, condom and hormonal methods. Non-surgical and non-hormonal
methods are under investigation. Among these, hormonal contraceptive approaches, including
injections, oral and transdermal delivery systems of testosterone, have attracted the attention of
investigators. Also non-hormonal approaches based on chemicals extracted from different plants such
as cotton seed plant, Neem tree,
Trypterigium wilfordii
and
Momordica Charantia
seed, are known to
have effect on male fertility. Additionally, alkylated imino sugars, Ca
++ channel blockers,
indenopyridines, indazole-3-carboxylic acid analogues, reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance
(RISUG) which involves injection of stericmaleic anhydride with dimethyl sulfoxide, spermicide–
microbicide (including gel formulations) and vaccine approaches are intended to interfere in a certain
fertilization step. Information obtained from multi-center studies in several countries on both men or
women shows the necessity for additional reversible male contraceptive methods. Results from recent
surveys clearly indicate that there is a market and a need for novel pharmaceutical preparations for
male contraception.
