Oh baby, there’s a new contraceptive in the Indian market... and it’s herbal

Herbal is the flavour of the hour and the market’s flooded with everything from cosmetics to medicines. Not surprising then, that now there’s also a herbal contraceptive. Created by Phytonics India, it’s called XPL 7. According to Harminder Singh, manager Phytonics India, “This product has been selling in US for the past eight years. It’s a wax-based capsule, a vaginal suppository like a tampon, to be used within 72 hours after one has had unsafe sex. The capsule dissolves, preventing an unwanted pregnancy. Unlike other emergency contraceptives there are no side effects. We plan to launch this soon in Punjab and Delhi.”

While the company cites a lot of research that proves the formulation safe, doctors remain sceptical. Dr. Shivani Sachdev fertility expert and consultant Gynaecologist at Fortis La Femme says, “I personally believe these medicines cannot work. What is the mechanism behind these pills working? I would approach it with caution. What about the time lag? The efficacy of the pill can be questioned here.”

Gynaecologists who have worked abroad are also apprehensive about using herbal methods of contraception. Like gynaecologist Anshu Mala. “I can’t see much benefit in it because the sperm is actively mobile. It basically works as a spermicidal from what we can make out and spermicidal has to used in conjunction with a condom or some other contraception, otherwise failure rates will be very high.”