Endogenous Antispermatogenic Agents: Prospects for Male Contraception

L. L. EWING, Bernard Robaire
In: Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology · 1978 · vol. 18(1) , pp. 167–187 · doi:10.1146/annurev.pa.18.040178.001123 · PMID:206192 · W2120835651
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This review examines endogenous antispermatogenic agents and proposes that interfering with the adenohypophyseal-gonadal axis via sustained steroid release or LHRH agonist-androgen formulations offers promising prospects for male contraception.

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Abstract

A review of endogenous antispermatogenic agents as prospects for male contraception is reported. It is demonstrated that endogenous compounds exert regulatory influences at 4 major levels in the male: 1) between germ cells; 2) between Sertoli and germ cells; 3) between Leydig cells and seminiferous tubules; and 4) between the central nervous system and the testis. Efforts to interrupt spermatogenesis have failed to find application as male contraceptives for various reasons: 1) some investigators ignored the vulnerable control points by utilizing nonspecific agents; 2) others attacked a vulnerable control point but used synthetic drugs that had deleterious side effects; and 3) still others attacked a vulnerable control point with a relatively innocuous drug but used an impractical mode of drug administration. The potential for devising innovative techniques for administering relatively innocuous drugs at dosages sufficient to produce sterility without causing deleterious side effects is demonstrated. The most promising solution for the development of an antispermatogenic male contraceptive is the interference with the adenohypophyseal-gonadal axis via the subcutaneous sustained release of steroid formulations containing either androgen-danazol, androgen-progestin, or androgen-estrogen formulations. Another promising agent would be luteinizing releasing hormone agonist-androgen formulation.

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