Combined use of copper-T and benzalkonium chloride spermicide.

PIP: The efficacy, tolerance and suitability of the combined use of an IUD and a vaginal spermicide has been studied. The Copper-T IUD was chosen because of the authors' wide experience with this model. The spermicide used was benzalconium chloride (0.0189 g) in the form of vaginal suppositories. 103 women from the outpatient family planning clinic of Hospital Clinico Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Barcelona, were selected at random from women who elected to have an IUD. The women had 1-3 children, were engaged in sexual intercourse at least once a week, and were 18-36 years. They were instructed on how the suppositories should be used to achieve maximum efficacy. They were also advised to use suppositories whenever they had sexual intercourse. 57 of the 103 women used combined method for 12 months, 26 used it for 6 months, whereas 17 only completed 3 months of therapy. 14% of the women complained of pruritus or vaginal discomfort while using the suppositories. The women used the method for 1978 months. Using the life tables of Tietze, the failure rate was 0.8/100 women/year at 6 months of use, and 1.6/100 women/year at 12 months.^ieng

Effects of sulphasalazine, lysine acetylsalicylate and flurbiprofen on human spermatozoa.

PIP: 6 male volunteers under well-controlled conditions were administered daily doses of lysine acetylsalicylate 3600 mg, flurbiprofen 100 mg and 1000 mg sulphasalazine every 12 hours over 3 sequential 4-day periods. There was a 15 day interval between treatments. Samples of ejaculates were obtained at 12 hours, 7 days, and 14 days after the last dose. Sperm physical parameters and prostaglandin (PG) levels were determined. Head alterations were observed with flurbiprofen and tail alterations plus spermatic aggregations persisting 2 weeks after treatment with sulphasalazine. The 19-hydroxy PGEs showed a significant decrease for the 3 drugs. Changes in the number, morphology, and motility of spermatozoa were not related to the PG levels, whereas antifertility actions of sulphasalazine were related to its sulphapyridine moiety.^ieng

Comparative study of antiinflammatory drugs and sulphasalazine in relation to prostaglandin E and 19 hydroxylated prostaglandin E levels and human male fertility.

The effect of lysine salicylate, flurbiprofen and sulphasalazine on human seminal prostaglandin profiles of six normal individuals was studied. All of them were treated with pharmacological doses of the three agents for four days with rest periods of eighteen days in between. Sulphasalazine produced less prostaglandin (PG) inhibition relative to the other two antiinflammatory drugs but in contrast only sulphasalazine induced sperm changes. Infertility status associated with the ingestion of therapeutic levels of sulphasalaziane is not directly related to the endogenous PGEs and 19-OH PGEs, the major prostanoids in human semen. PG determinations were carried out using gas chromatographic (GC) techniques.

[Prolactin secretion in women using IUDs]. / Estudio de la secrecion de prolactina en pacientes portadoras de DIU.

PIP: Prolactin variations in women wearing IUDs (Lippes Loop, Copper T-Device) were evaluated. All had been wearing the devices for at least 6 months. Results are compared to those of a control group during the follicular and luteal phases. There was no increase observed in prolactin secretion in either phase in relation to the control group. However, there was a slight increase in prolactin secretion during the luteal phase in patients wearing IUDs as compared to the follicular phase; nevertheless, this increase was not significant. It is concluded that the IUD does not influence the normal variations in prolactin secretion.^ieng