The male contraceptive is most needed as there are no good male contraceptives although many exist for female contraceptives. A plant extract, traditionally used by African warriors as a heart-stopping poison on their arrows, may be used to develop birth control pill for men, a study in mice suggests. Two types of African plants make the poisonous compound called ouabain. Mammals also produce it in their bodies, though at lower levels that are thought to help control blood pressure; doctors sometimes prescribe small doses of the compound to treat heart attack patients.
Ouabain disrupts the passage of sodium and calcium ions through the membrane protein, which is found in cell membranes and is made up of protein subunits. Prior clinical studies have shown that ouabain curbs fertility in men. However, ouabain itself is not an option as a contraceptive because of the risk of heart damage.…
