Researchers at U.C. Berkeley have found a birth control that is hormone free, fully natural, resulted in no known side effects so far, is harmless to eggs and sperm, could be used both in the long- and short-term, and it can be used either before or after conception, from ancient Chinese folk medicine. "Because these two plant compounds block fertilization at very, very low concentrations -- about 10 times lower than levels of levonorgestrel in Plan B -- they could be a new generation of emergency contraceptive we nicknamed 'molecular condoms,'" team leader Polina Lishko, an assistant professor of molecular and cell biology, said in a press release.
The active compounds are pregnenolone sulfate — and the two plant-derived inhibitors pristimerin and lupeol. According to the publication.
And they work by blocking ABHD2 that signals to sperms to move faster. However these compounds hit a target that is important for many cell types in the body. So these compounds are no "magic bullet" and a better comparison is that of carpet bombing.
The chemicals they studied are supposedly extracted from mangoes and dandelion roots.
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1700367114 — a full pre-print is available.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 29 2017, @10:19PM (2 children)
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood.
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Monday May 29 2017, @11:07PM (1 child)
Hindu, Taoist, Mormon,
Spill theirs just anywhere,
But God loves those who treat their
Semen with more care.
Let the Pagan spill theirs
O'er mountain, hill, and plain.
God shall strike them down for
Each sperm that's spilt in vain.
[For those who don't know where this thread is coming (ahem) from, you must watch this [youtube.com].]
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Monday May 29 2017, @11:16PM
Actually, watch this link [youtube.com] instead; better quality.