Alternative Male Contraceptive

Save Indonesia's natural wealth, even including the materials to prevent pregnancy. Starting and habits of the men in the interior of Papua, which have not been able to pay a dowry when they marry, where they are obliged to consume plants or leaves of gandarusa (Justicia gendarussa Burm.F.), to prevent wife pregnancy. Therefore, having a child but not yet paid the dowry or the cost of the covenant of marriage is considered taboo.

At the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Airlangga, Surabaya, 36 men to be "guinea pigs" for alternatives male contraceptive that "They tried to drink gandarusa for 108 days. As a result, there is no problem with the function of liver, kidney, blood. Everything is normal," said researchers from the University of Airlangga, Bambang Prayogo.

From the experiments it was found, gandarusa managed to reduce the stability of the sperm cells to fertilize an egg. "There is an enzymatic process that is used to fertilized eggs," said Bambang.

The results showed, this plant has a suppressing effect of testosterone levels in mice through the levels of certain chemicals. These plants decrease the activity of the enzyme hyaluronidase in the sperm cells so that the sperm can not penetrate the egg wall.

Bambang test the clinical efficacy of gandarusa through the three phases are complete, to the effectiveness of pharmacological aspects.

• In the first phase, Bambang test the effectiveness of this plant on 36 men. With the results, gandarusa have no side effects.
• The second test, gandarusa gave to 120 fertile male and showed effective results. 
• And soon, in the third stage the gandarusa will be tested to 350 men.

On human testing after through animal testing. "Contraceptives have been tried in animals, in vitro fertilization in animals also have been tried and its result was negative, no fertilization occurs. Therefore, I dare to clinical trials in vitro-unite sperm and egg cells outside the body," Bambang said.

From the many experiments and clinical trials, failures are rare. Therefore, if there is no obstacle, this plant will be packaged and distributed to the market in 2012. "At this time gandarusa are still in the stage of the marketing authorization application," said Bambang.

Gandarusa or Justicia gendarussa Burm.F. (Picture from: http://titan-medicalplant.blogspot.com/)

Gandarusa (Justicia gendarussa Burm.F.) is shrub plant, usually grown as a live market or grow wild in the forest, river embankments or maintained as a medicinal plant. In Java grows at an altitude of 100-500 m. above sea level. Grow, could reach 2 m high, much branched from near the base of the stem. Young branches dark purple, and when the color brown to shiny. Leaves opposite position, a single oval leaf shape with a length of 50-20 cm, 1 to 3.5 cm wide, flat edge, leaf tips pointed, short-stemmed seed-shaped base between 5-7.5 mm, dark green leaf color. Small flowers white or colored dice arranged in series in the form of panicle / ear contract, hairy armpits and spreading out from the leaves or the tip of the shaft. The fruit is elliptic.medical plant gandarusa have In addition to black-trunked (more popular) there are also green-trunked.

Bambang examined the effectiveness of this plant since 1987, continuing the research of Professor Moeso Soerjowinoto and Agus Pudjoarianto of the Faculty of Biology, University of Airlangga. In addition efficacious as a contraceptive plant, gandarusa can be used as a blood circulation drug, anti-inflammation, bruising, anti rheumatic, and pain relief.

Although gandarusa will be circulated shortly Bambang can not ensure that the packaging as a form of male contraception "is not yet clear, whether the form of pills, liquid, or injection," said Bambang. He was just making sure that the gandarusa price were cheap. "It should be cheap, because it is herbal, so everyone can use provided it's not abused, he said.

The gandarusa dose using a custom-tailored. No need to eat every day such as contraception in women. When consumed, gandarusa do not have other side effects. Because, after its consumption is stopped, users will return to normal state. "Usually the user's appetite and libido up," said Bambang.

Chairman of the National Family Planning Coordinating Board (Badan Koordinasi Keluarga Berencana Nasional/BKKBN) Sugiri Syarif support this finding. "We are very supportive, and provide funds worth Rp 2 billion to Mr. Bambang." he said. Expected, gandarusa could be alternative if the most popular contraception among men today, vasectomy and condoms, are no longer effective. *** [SYARI FANI | CHETA NILAWATY | AT | KORAN TEMPO 3755]