Biomaterial Database

Inhibition of the metabolism and motility of human spermatozoa by various alkaloids. 1982

N P Trifunac, and G S Berstein

The ability of several alkaloids to inhibit the metabolism and motility of human spermatozoa has been investigated. Of the agents tested, chloroquine was the most effective in inhibiting sperm metabolism (production of carbon dioxide and lactic acid) and motility. It was active at a concentration of 3.6 x 10(-5)M. Quinine and Quinacrine were active at concentrations of 5 x 10(-4)M and emetine required concentrations as high as 3.6 x 10(-3)M to achieve an inhibitory effect. Detailed studies with emetine showed that the time needed for inhibition of sperm motility was inversely proportional to the drug concentration and directly related to the sperm density. In addition, the inhibition was shown not to be reversible.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007773	Lactates	Salts or esters of LACTIC ACID containing the general formula CH3CHOHCOOR.
D008297	Male		Males
D011796	Quinacrine	An acridine derivative formerly widely used as an antimalarial but superseded by chloroquine in recent years. It has also been used as an anthelmintic and in the treatment of giardiasis and malignant effusions. It is used in cell biological experiments as an inhibitor of phospholipase A2.	Mepacrine,Acrichine,Atabrine,Atebrin,Quinacrine Dihydrochloride,Quinacrine Dihydrochloride, Dihydrate,Quinacrine Dihyrochloride, (R)-Isomer,Quinacrine Dihyrochloride, (S)-Isomer,Quinacrine Dimesylate,Quinacrine Hydrochloride,Quinacrine Monoacetate,Quinacrine Monohydrochloride,Quinacrine Monomesylate,Quinacrine, (+-)-Isomer,Quinacrine, (R)-Isomer,Quinacrine, (S)-Isomer,Dihydrochloride, Quinacrine,Dimesylate, Quinacrine,Hydrochloride, Quinacrine,Monoacetate, Quinacrine,Monohydrochloride, Quinacrine,Monomesylate, Quinacrine
D011803	Quinine	An alkaloid derived from the bark of the cinchona tree. It is used as an antimalarial drug, and is the active ingredient in extracts of the cinchona that have been used for that purpose since before 1633. Quinine is also a mild antipyretic and analgesic and has been used in common cold preparations for that purpose. It was used commonly and as a bitter and flavoring agent, and is still useful for the treatment of babesiosis. Quinine is also useful in some muscular disorders, especially nocturnal leg cramps and myotonia congenita, because of its direct effects on muscle membrane and sodium channels. The mechanisms of its antimalarial effects are not well understood.	Biquinate,Legatrim,Myoquin,Quinamm,Quinbisan,Quinbisul,Quindan,Quinimax,Quinine Bisulfate,Quinine Hydrochloride,Quinine Lafran,Quinine Sulfate,Quinine Sulphate,Quinine-Odan,Quinoctal,Quinson,Quinsul,Strema,Surquina,Bisulfate, Quinine,Hydrochloride, Quinine,Sulfate, Quinine,Sulphate, Quinine
D002245	Carbon Dioxide	A colorless, odorless gas that can be formed by the body and is necessary for the respiration cycle of plants and animals.	Carbonic Anhydride,Anhydride, Carbonic,Dioxide, Carbon
D002738	Chloroquine	The prototypical antimalarial agent with a mechanism that is not well understood. It has also been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and in the systemic therapy of amebic liver abscesses.	Aralen,Arechine,Arequin,Chingamin,Chlorochin,Chloroquine Sulfate,Chloroquine Sulphate,Khingamin,Nivaquine,Sulfate, Chloroquine,Sulphate, Chloroquine
D004640	Emetine	The principal alkaloid of ipecac, from the ground roots of Uragoga (or Cephaelis) ipecacuanha or U. acuminata, of the Rubiaceae. It is used as an amebicide in many different preparations and may cause serious cardiac, hepatic, or renal damage and violent diarrhea and vomiting. Emetine inhibits protein synthesis in EUKARYOTIC CELLS but not PROKARYOTIC CELLS.	Ipecine,Methylcephaeline,Emetine Dihydrochloride,Emetine Hydrochloride,Dihydrochloride, Emetine,Hydrochloride, Emetine
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000962	Antimalarials	Agents used in the treatment of malaria. They are usually classified on the basis of their action against plasmodia at different stages in their life cycle in the human. (From AMA, Drug Evaluations Annual, 1992, p1585)	Anti-Malarial,Antimalarial,Antimalarial Agent,Antimalarial Drug,Anti-Malarials,Antimalarial Agents,Antimalarial Drugs,Agent, Antimalarial,Agents, Antimalarial,Anti Malarial,Anti Malarials,Drug, Antimalarial,Drugs, Antimalarial
D013081	Sperm Motility	Movement characteristics of SPERMATOZOA in a fresh specimen. It is measured as the percentage of sperms that are moving, and as the percentage of sperms with productive flagellar motion such as rapid, linear, and forward progression.	Motilities, Sperm,Motility, Sperm,Sperm Motilities