Inhibition of Glucose Catabolism in Rat, Hamster, Rhesus Monkey and Human Spermatozoa by α‐Chlorohydrin

Abstract

Spermatozoa from the cauda epididymidis of rats treated with RS‐α‐chlorohydrin (10 mg/kg/day p. o. × 7) had the same ATP content as control spermatozoa immediately after collection, but were unable to metabolize glucose in vitro and so their ATP content declined more rapidly than that of control spermatozoa.The in vitro metabolism of glucose by spermatozoa from rat, hamster, rhesus monkey and human was inhibited by 80% or more after 15–30 min preincubation in the presence of RS‐α‐chlorohydrin concentrations of < 1, > 10, 5–10 and > 50 mM, respectively. Inhibition of glucose oxidation was correlated with a reduction in ATP concentration in the spermatozoa.These data support the hypothesis that α‐chlorohydrin acts as an antifer‐tility agent by inhibition of sperm glycolysis but suggest that RS‐α‐chlorohydrin would not be an effective contraceptive in man. However, the glucose metabolism of human spermatozoa was significantly inhibited by < 10 mM of the S‐enantiomer of α‐chlorohydrin.