Mouse sperm-egg interaction in vitro in the presence of neem oil

In vitro evidence is presented showing toxicity of neem oil on sperm-egg interaction in mouse. Cumulus oophorus-enclosed ova, inseminated with capacitated spermatozoa, were cultured in 1 ml of in vitro fertilization (IVF) medium and overlayered by 1 ml of different concentrations of neem oil (1, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100%) for IVF duration of 4h. At the end of incubation, ova were allowed to grow in neem oil-free culture medium and assessed for fertilization, first cleavage (2-cell formation) and blastocyst formation in vitro at 4-14h, 24h and 108h post-insemination respectively. The study showed that the presence of neem oil at concentrations of 10, 25 and 50% caused inhibition of IVF in a dose-dependent manner. The toxic effect of exposure of 25 and 50% neem oil was further carried over to the first cleavage of the resulting fertilized ova and the toxic effect of 5, 10, 25 and 50% was carried over to the blastocyst formation from the resulting fertilized ova when grown in neem-oil free culture medium. A total of 94.1% inhibition of 2-cell formation and 100% inhibition of blastocyst formation from the inseminated ova was observed in 50 and 25% neem oil-treated groups respectively. Neem oil at 100% concentration caused 100% degeneration of ova at 1h of sperm-ova coculture. The study showed a direct toxic effect of neem oil on sperm-egg interaction in vitro and encourages research investigations of this herbal product as a pre-coital contraceptive.