The Onset and Duration of Infertility in Hamsters Treated With  -Chlorohydrin

Abstract

Fertile male hamsters were injected daily with 66 mg \g=a\-chlorohydrin/kg to determine the onset and duration of infertility. None of the males became infertile within the first 2 days but marked loss of fertilizing ability of spermatozoa had occurred by 24 hr from the second injection. Infertility occurred in all five males after the fourth dose. The fertilizing ability of the spermatozoa was not impaired when the equivalent of four daily doses was given as a single dose, thus indicating that sequential daily treatment was necessary for the induction of infertility. The prompt recovery of fertilizing ability of spermatozoa in males which had ligated ductuli efferentes and were given four daily doses of\g=a\-chlorohydrin (66 mg/kg) shows that transport of epididymal spermatozoa and their acquisition of fertilizing ability are not influenced by the drug.

The Effects of -Chlorohydrin on the Composition of Rat and Rabbit Epididymal Plasma: A Possible Explanation of Species Difference

“…The concentrations of sodium, potassium, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and GPC were not altered. a-Chlorohydrin and epididymal plasma composition (Coppola, 1969;Samojlik & Chang, 1970), the guinea-pig (Ericsson & Baker, 1970), the monkey (Kirton et al, 1970), the ram (Kreider & Dutt, 1970), the boar (Johnson & Pursel, 1972) and the hamster (Lubicz-Nawrocki & Chang, 1974), but is apparently without action in the mouse and rabbit (Ericsson, 1970 The results of the present study amplify the previous report (Ericsson, 1970) that -chlorohydrin is without action in the rabbit. Also, in agreement with Turner (1971), 8 mg/kg/3 days would seem to be about the minimum antifertility regimen in the rat.…”

“…Such a suggestion is supported by the findings of Crabo & Applegren (1972) that, after intravenous injection of [14C]a-chlorohydrin, radioactive material accumulates in the cauda epididymidis of the rat, but does not accumulate in the epididymis of mice, a species in which an antifertility effect has not been observed. Lubicz-Nawrocki & Chang (1974) have also postulated that infertility may result from a direct effect of the drug on spermatozoa in the cauda epididymidis.…”

Chlorinated Sugars: A Biochemical Approach to the Control of Male Fertility

“…Most have used inhibitors of the lytic enzymes of the acrosome and encouraging results have been obtained in vitro but no successful system involving oral administration of the agents to an intact animal has been reported (see review by Zaneveld 1976). Our apprcach arises from the empirical cbservation that low doses of a-chlorohydrin (1 -chloropropan-2,3-diol; 2.5-10 mgikglday) induce reversible infertility in male animals of many species, including the rat (Coppola 1969;Ericsson & Youngdale 1969); ram (Brown & White 1973); boar (Johnson & Purse1 1972): hamsters and guinea pig (Lubicz-Nawrocki & Chang 1974). Although much work has been done with this compound (see Waites & Edwards 1973;Kalla 1976), interest in its further development as a maIe contraceptive agent has waned following the discovery of toxic effects in the rhesus monkey at the therapeutic dose for that species (Setty et al 1970).…”

The influence of the testis on the fertilizing life of spermatozoa in the ligated vas deferens of the golden hamster

“…At present, there is no information on the period of sperm residence in the cauda epididymidis of any species but isotope labelling of the sperm nucleus in several species has shown that sperm transit through the epididymis requires only 1-2 weeks (see Bedford, 1975). Since spermatozoa from the hamster cauda epididymidis can survive for 12 days (Lubicz-Nawrocki & Glover, 1973) and their passage from the caput to the cauda epididymidis only takes a few days (Mason & Shaver, 1952 ;Lubicz-Nawrocki & Chang, 1974, a fertilizing life of 1-2 weeks rather than 2-3 days might be expected for vasal spermatozoa. The present demonstration of the very large difference in the fertilizing capacity of vasal spermatozoa from the proximal and distal regions of the duct suggest that the short fertilizing life of spermatozoa might be due to the effects of ageing during epididymal transit.…”