Reproduction concepts and practices in ancient Egypt mirrored by modern medicine

The uniqueness of on-demand male contraception

Because nearly half of pregnancies worldwide are unintended, available contraceptive methods are inadequate. Moreover, due to the striking imbalance between contraceptive options available for men compared to the myriad of options available to women, there is an urgent need for new methods of contraception for men. This review summarizes ongoing efforts to develop male contraceptives highlighting the unique aspects particular to on-demand male contraception, where a man takes a contraceptive only when and as often as needed.

Non-Hormonal Contraception

While hormonal contraceptives are efficacious and available in several forms for women, perception of safety and concern over side effects are a deterrent for many. Existing non-hormonal contraceptives include permanent sterilization, copper intrauterine devices (IUDs), chemical/physical barriers such as spermicides and condoms, as well as traditional family planning methods including withdrawal and the rhythm method. Individuals who wish to retain their fertility in the future can achieve highest adherence and efficacy with long-acting, reversible contraceptives (LARCs), though there is only one, the copper IUD, that is non-hormonal. As rates of unintended pregnancies remain high with existing contraceptive options, it is becoming increasingly attractive to develop novel pregnancy prevention methods for both women and men. Non-hormonal contraceptives can target a variety of critical reproductive processes discussed here. This review focuses on identified non-hormonal contraceptive targets and subsequent drug candidates in development.

Traditional ancient Egyptian medicine: A review

The ancient Egyptians practiced medicine with highly professional methods. They had advanced knowledge of anatomy and surgery. Also, they treated a lot of diseases including dental, gynecological, gastrointestinal, and urinary disorders. They could diagnose diabetes and cancer. The used therapeutics extended from different plants to include several animal products and minerals. Some of these plants are still used in the present day. Fortunately, they documented their life details by carving on stone, clay, or papyri. Although a lot of these records have been lost or destroyed, the surviving documents represent a huge source of knowledge in different scientific aspects including medicine. This review article is an attempt to understand some information about traditional medicine in ancient Egypt, we will look closely at some basics, sources of information of Egyptian medicine in addition to common treated diseases and therapeutics in this great civilization.

Recent advances in electrospun nanofiber vaginal formulations for women's sexual and reproductive health

Electrospinning is an innovative technique that allows production of nanofibers and microfibers by applying a high voltage to polymer solutions of melts. The properties of these fibers - which include high surface area, high drug loading capacity, and ability to be manufactured from mucoadhesive polymers - may be particularly useful in a myriad of drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. The last decade has witnessed a surge of interest in the application of electrospinning technology for the fabrication of vaginal drug delivery systems for the treatment and prevention of diseases associated with women's sexual and reproductive health, including sexually transmitted infections (e.g. infection with human immunodeficiency virus and herpes simplex virus) vaginitis, preterm birth, contraception, multipurpose prevention technology strategies, cervicovaginal cancer, and general maintenance of vaginal health. Due to their excellent mechanical properties, electrospun scaffolds are also being investigated as next-generation materials in the surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. In this article, we review the latest advances in the field.

A Catalog of Natural Products Occurring in Watermelon-Citrullus lanatus

Sweet dessert watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is one of the most important vegetable crops consumed throughout the world. The chemical composition of watermelon provides both high nutritional value and various health benefits. The present manuscript introduces a catalog of 1,679 small molecules occurring in the watermelon and their cheminformatics analysis for diverse features. In this catalog, the phytochemicals are associated with the literature describing their presence in the watermelon plant, and when possible, concentration values in various plant parts (flesh, seeds, leaves, roots, rind). Also cataloged are the chemical classes, molecular weight and formula, chemical structure, and certain physical and chemical properties for each phytochemical. In our view, knowing precisely what is in what we eat, as this catalog does for watermelon, supports both the rationale for certain controlled feeding studies in the field of precision nutrition, and plant breeding efforts for the development of new varieties with enhanced concentrations of specific phytochemicals. Additionally, improved and comprehensive collections of natural products accessible to the public will be especially useful to researchers in nutrition, cheminformatics, bioinformatics, and drug development, among other disciplines.

Gods associated with male fertility and virility

BACKGROUND

Human fertility has always been a topic of curiosity and devotion. Many cultures consider fertility to be a necessity for the survival and perpetuation of mankind and since early times, myths were created to explain this fabulous process. Fertility gods were ubiquitous in numerous ancient human cultures and were used both to understand fertility and to cope with infertility by means of rituals and offerings.

OBJECTIVES

This manuscript aims to catalog and describe the deities associated with male fertility and virility.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive search for the terms "male fertility god" and "male virility god" on the internet using web-based search engines. Based on the information retrieved, we selected those deities directed related to male fertility and/or virility and further deepened the search using Pubmed and Medline databases for peer-reviewed articles as well as books and articles about ancient mythology.

RESULTS

We identified several gods linked to male fertility and virility in various cultures from Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, Southwestern United States, France, Colombia and Buthan..

DISCUSSION

Most of these deities were depicted with an erect phallus and with other fertility symbols like snakes. Some deities were also associated with plants and/or animal fertility and their festivals were often held during the harvest period.

CONCLUSION

Gods of male fertility and virility played important roles in many ancient cultures. Offerings and rituals to these gods were the only available options to deal with problems of reproduction and demonstrate the lengths to which ancient people would go seeking cures for infertility.

On the Origins of the Semen Analysis: A Close Relationship with the History of the Reproductive Medicine

The spermatozoa were first seen in ejaculates in the 17^th century. However, the basic mechanisms of human fertilization have been only fully understood after the discovery of ovum in 1827. As a result, the interest in developing technologies for semen analysis arose from the early 1900s. Indeed, standard methodologies for semen analysis were designed mostly along the first half of the 20^th century. Before the 1930s, semen analysis was nearly unavailable clinically, since there were still no robust methodologies for assessing sperm characteristics, as well as to set up standard references that could be able to assess the reproductive capacity of men. However, joining some methodologies reported from 1910 up to 1930, standardization was attained and thereby semen analysis increasingly assumed its role in laboratory practice for investigating men in barren marriage. This article aims in reviewing historical backgrounds on the semen analysis, up to its insertion in laboratory practice. Emphasis is given to the major studies that contributed either directly or indirectly in developing the earliest routine for the semen analysis.

Chest surgical disorders in ancient Egypt: evidence of advanced knowledge

The ancient Egyptians laid the foundation for the development of the earliest recorded systems of medical treatment. Many specialties such as gynecology, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, and chest disorders were subject to diagnosis, which were followed by an appropriate treatment. Here, we elucidate the remarkable level of their knowledge and understanding of anatomy and physiology in the field of chest medicine. Furthermore, we look at how ancient Egyptian physicians came to a diagnosis and treatment based on the thoracic cases in the Edwin Smith papyrus.

Ancient Egyptian Women’s Health Care in Relation to Modern Women’s Health Care Practices: An Overview

This article will address ancient Egyptians’ knowledge of the childbirth cycle from preconception to postpartum and the similarities of these practices to modern knowledge and practice. From developing the first recorded pregnancy test to using the favorable position of squatting in labor, the ancient Egyptians exhibited a base of knowledge that more recent use of the scientific method has confirmed. Other practices, such as methods of contraception, can be seen as steps in the evolution of methods used today. Ancient Egyptians emphasized maternal nutrition during pregnancy and care of the newborn and mother immediately postpartum. Newborn assessment in ancient Egypt consisted of two parameters—cry and muscle tone—that exhibits a historical technique analogous to the modern Apgar score. Evidence also indicates that the ancient Egyptians devised strategies to suture perineal tears and manage other postpartum complications. In addition to practices related to pregnancy and childbirth, other contributions of these ancient people to medical practice and vocabulary were associated with general women’s health.