A modified transmembrane migration method for evaluating the spermicidal potency of some nonoxynol compounds

The transmembrane migration technique, a simple method in-vitro for quantitatively assessing the effects of a drug on human sperm motility, has been evaluated. The original method has been modified to include a preincubation step, and the incubation time has been reduced to 90 min. In semen samples possessing sperm concentrations of less than 75 x 12(6) spermatozoa mL-1 the volume of the lower reservoir has been reduced to 1 mL. This modified method has been used to compare the spermicidal potency of the widely employed non-ionic surfactant nonoxynol-9, with nonoxynol-5 and nonoxynol-15 (containing, respectively, fewer and more ethylene oxide units per molecule). The rank order of spermicidal potency of the compounds evaluated was nonoxynol-9 = nonoxynol-5 greater than nonoxynol-15.