Spermicidal and antiviral properties of cholic acid: contraceptive efficacy of a new vaginal sponge (Protectaid) containing sodium cholate
Psychoyos, A.; Creatsas, G.; Hassan, E.; Georgoulias, V.; Gravanis, A.
Human Reproduction 8(6): 866-869
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0268-1161 PMID: 7688380 DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a138156Document Number: 331368
Cholic acid (sodium cholate) exhibits a strong spermicidal and antiviral (anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1) activity. The same effects are observed for F-5 Gel-R, the active mixture of a new contraceptive sponge (Protectaid-R), which contains sodium cholate in association with low concentrations (0.5%) of nonoxynol-9 and benzalkonium chloride. Both cholic acid and the F-5 Gel exert a dose-dependent, in-vitro inhibitory effect (i) on the activity of HIV-1 associated reverse transcriptase in an acellular system and (ii) on the potential of HIV-1 efficiently to infect human lymphocytes. During 12 months use, the contraceptive efficacy of the 'Protectaid-R' sponge was 100% in 20 young women who had chosen this method for reasons of both contraception and anti-sexually transmitted disease. No side-effects were recorded throughout this period. Cervical cultures at 6-month intervals showed the presence of Mycoplasma hominis and Candida albicans in one or two cases. The combined spermicidal and anti-HIV properties of cholic acid reported in this paper and used in the 'Protectaid-R' sponge offer a new and modern protective method of contraception.