Smart RISUG: A potential new contraceptive and its magnetic field-mediated sperm interaction

Abstract

Rakhi K Jha1,2, Pradeep K Jha1,3, Sujoy K Guha11School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India; 2Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, ChCS University, Meerut, UP, India; 3Department of Management studies, VIET, UP Tech. Univ., Lucknow, UP, IndiaAbstract: The rationale and technique underlying a novel concept of noninvasive fertility control by a new Cuproferrogel contraceptive drug, iron oxide–copper–styrene maleic anhydride–dimethyl sulphoxide (Fe3O4–Cu–SMA–DMSO) composite named ‘Smart RISUG’ (smart reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance) in presence of pulsed magnetic field (PMF; 1 mT to 800 mT) is explained. It was synthesized by dispersing iron oxide particles and copper particles into SMA-DMSO (male contraceptive RISUG) and characterized for particle distribution, particle size measurement and transmittance peaks, etc. Interaction of the RISUG particles as well as Smart RISUG particles with Albino rat sperm cell was studied in presence as well as absence of PMF. To find an explanation to increased reaching of the Smart RISUG drug into sperm under influence of magnetic field, the transport properties were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Smart RISUG could be mobilized into sperm cell membrane at the PMF, 760 mT in about 50 seconds. Adoption of novel drug Smart RISUG involving new technique may open the pathway for non surgical control of drug distribution, detection and restoration of the normal fertility after removal of the contraceptive from the male/female reproductive tube in presence of electromagnetic field.Keywords: smart RISUG, pulsed magnetic field, noninvasive fertility control, drug distribution, sperm cell