oxytocin (medication)

Oxytocin injection (synthetic) is contraindicated in any of these conditions:{{cite web |url=https://www.drugs.com/pro/oxytocin.html |title=Oxytocin - FDA prescribing information, side effects and uses |access-date=16 December 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221012452/https://www.drugs.com/pro/oxytocin.html |archive-date=21 December 2016 }}

• Substantial cephalopelvic disproportion
• Unfavorable fetal position or presentation (e.g., transverse lies) undeliverable without conversion before delivery
• Obstetric emergencies where maternal or fetal risk-to-benefit ratio favors surgery
• Fetal distress when delivery is not imminent
• Umbilical cord prolapse
• Uterine activity fails to progress adequately
• Hyperactive or hypertonic uterus
• Vaginal delivery is contraindicated (e.g., invasive cervical carcinoma, active genital herpes infection, total placenta previa, vasa previa, cord presentation or prolapse)
• Uterine or cervical scarring from previous cesarean section or major cervical or uterine (e.g., transfundal) surgery
• Unengaged fetal head
• History of hypersensitivity to oxytocin or any ingredient in the formulation

Oxytocin is relatively safe when used at recommended doses, and side effects are uncommon.{{cite web | url = http://www.rxlist.com/pitocin-drug.htm | title = Pitocin (drug label for professionals) | publisher = WebMD | work = Rx List | access-date = 9 September 2010 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110415062355/http://www.rxlist.com/pitocin-drug.htm | archive-date = 15 April 2011 }} These maternal events have been reported:

• Subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Increased blood pressure when combined with other medications that raise blood pressure, particularly when used prior to administering epidural anesthesia{{cite book | vauthors = Osilla EV, Patel P, Sharma S | chapter = Oxytocin |date=2025-02-15 | title = StatPearls [Internet] | chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK507848/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |publisher=StatPearls Publishing |language=en |pmid=29939625 }}
• Cardiac arrhythmia including increased or decreased heart rate, and premature ventricular contraction
• Impaired uterine blood flow or excessive uterine contractions when combined with other medications that cause uterine contraction (carboprost, misoprostol)
• Uterine rupture
• Afibrinogenemia
• Anaphylaxis
• Nausea and vomiting
• Changes in fetal blood flow

Many of these side effects are unable to be differentiated from the risks of normal labor versus oxytocin administration itself.{{Cite web |title=Induction of Labor |url=https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2009/08/induction-of-labor |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=www.acog.org |language=en}}

Oxytocin during labour is associated with a significantly higher risk of severe postpartum hemorrhage.{{cite journal | vauthors = Belghiti J, Kayem G, Dupont C, Rudigoz RC, Bouvier-Colle MH, Deneux-Tharaux C | title = Oxytocin during labour and risk of severe postpartum haemorrhage: a population-based, cohort-nested case-control study | journal = BMJ Open | volume = 1 | issue = 2 | pages = e000514 | date = 2011 | pmid = 22189353 | pmc = 3334825 | doi = 10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000514 }}

Excessive dosage or long-term administration (over a period of 24 hours or longer) has been known to result in tetanic uterine contractions, uterine rupture, sometimes fatal. Water intoxication may be exhibited in administration through symptoms such as seizures, comas, neonatal jaundice, and potential fatality.{{cite journal | vauthors = D'Souza SW, Lieberman B, Cadman J, Richards B | title = Oxytocin induction of labour: hyponatraemia and neonatal jaundice | journal = European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology | volume = 22 | issue = 5–6 | pages = 309–317 | date = September 1986 | pmid = 3770280 | doi = 10.1016/0028-2243(86)90119-x }} Managed fluid intake and consistent monitoring of sodium levels has been researched as crucial in the safe administration of oxytocin.{{cite journal | vauthors = Emre U, Kadıoğlu G, Ünal A, Atasoy HT | title = Case report: hyponatremia and generalized convulsion after intravenous oxytocin infusion. | journal = Journal of the Turkish-German Gynecological Association | date = March 2009 | volume = 10 | issue = 1 | pages = 47–48 | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26601313 }}

The use of oxytocin during childbirth has been linked to an increased need for other medical interventions, most primarily, through the administration of an epidural anaesthetic.{{cite journal | vauthors = Hidalgo-Lopezosa P, Hidalgo-Maestre M, Rodríguez-Borrego MA | title = Labor stimulation with oxytocin: effects on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes | journal = Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem | volume = 24 | pages = e2744 | date = 2016 | pmid = 27463109 | pmc = 4982443 | doi = 10.1590/1518-8345.0765.2744 }} This has been documented as creating a 'cascade effect', potentially causing detrimental impacts to the birthing process.{{cite journal | vauthors = Lothian JA | title = Healthy birth practice #4: avoid interventions unless they are medically necessary | journal = The Journal of Perinatal Education | volume = 23 | issue = 4 | pages = 198–206 | date = 2014 | pmid = 25411540 | pmc = 4235054 | doi = 10.1891/1058-1243.23.4.198 }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Hitzeman N, Chin S | title = Epidural analgesia for labor pain | language = en-US | journal = American Family Physician | volume = 86 | issue = 3 | pages = 241–242 | date = August 2012 | pmid = 22962986 | url = https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2012/0801/p241.html }} Oxytocin administration also, conversely, decreases the rate of cesarean sections.{{cite journal | vauthors = Wei S, Wo BL, Qi HP, Xu H, Luo ZC, Roy C, Fraser WD | title = Early amniotomy and early oxytocin for prevention of, or therapy for, delay in first stage spontaneous labour compared with routine care | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2013 | issue = 8 | pages = CD006794 | date = August 2013 | pmid = 23926074 | pmc = 11528244 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD006794.pub4 | collaboration = Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group }} Use of oxytocin has been found to significantly shorten labor duration. Early oxytocin augmentation has also been found to increase the probability of spontaneous vaginal delivery and reduce the risk of chorioamnionitis or intrauterine infection.{{cite journal | vauthors = Wei SQ, Luo ZC, Xu H, Fraser WD | title = The effect of early oxytocin augmentation in labor: a meta-analysis | journal = Obstetrics and Gynecology | volume = 114 | issue = 3 | pages = 641–649 | date = September 2009 | pmid = 19701046 | doi = 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181b11cb8 }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Son M, Roy A, Stetson BT, Grady NT, Vanecko MC, Bond N, Swanson K, Grobman WA, Miller ES, Peaceman AM | title = High-Dose Compared With Standard-Dose Oxytocin Regimens to Augment Labor in Nulliparous Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial | journal = Obstetrics and Gynecology | volume = 137 | issue = 6 | pages = 991–998 | date = June 2021 | pmid = 33957657 | doi = 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004399 }}

Since a landmark investigation was published in JAMA Pediatrics by researchers in 2013,{{cite journal | vauthors = Gregory SG, Anthopolos R, Osgood CE, Grotegut CA, Miranda ML | title = Association of autism with induced or augmented childbirth in North Carolina Birth Record (1990-1998) and Education Research (1997-2007) databases | journal = JAMA Pediatrics | volume = 167 | issue = 10 | pages = 959–966 | date = October 2013 | pmid = 23938610 | doi = 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.2904 | url = https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/24840246 }} the potential link between oxytocin use during childbirth and increased risks of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children's development has been a topic of debate.{{cite journal | vauthors = Oberg AS, D'Onofrio BM, Rickert ME, Hernandez-Diaz S, Ecker JL, Almqvist C, Larsson H, Lichtenstein P, Bateman BT | title = Association of Labor Induction With Offspring Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders | journal = JAMA Pediatrics | volume = 170 | issue = 9 | pages = e160965 | date = September 2016 | pmid = 27454803 | doi = 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.0965 | pmc = 5297393 | hdl = 10616/45629 | hdl-access = free }} There is no robust evidence in support of oxytocin causing ASD or other neurodevelopmental disorders.{{cite journal | vauthors = Lønfeldt NN, Verhulst FC, Strandberg-Larsen K, Plessen KJ, Lebowitz ER | title = Assessing risk of neurodevelopmental disorders after birth with oxytocin: a systematic review and meta-analysis | journal = Psychological Medicine | volume = 49 | issue = 6 | pages = 881–890 | date = April 2019 | pmid = 30444210 | doi = 10.1017/S0033291718003021 }}

Oxytocin was added to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices's list of High Alert Medications in Acute Care Settings in 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.ismp.org/recommendations/high-alert-medications-acute-list|title=High-Alert Medications in Acute Care Settings|website=Institute For Safe Medication Practices|date=16 November 2017 |language=en|access-date=6 May 2019}} The list includes medications that have a high risk for harm if administered incorrectly.

During pregnancy, increased uterine motility has led to decreased heart rate, cardiac arrhythmia, seizures, brain damage, and death in the fetus or neonate. Increased uterine motility is a hallmark of both spontaneous labor and induced labor, therefore the risks associated with uterine motility are not specific to this medication.{{Cite web |title=Induction of Labor |url=https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2009/08/induction-of-labor |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=www.acog.org |language=en}}

Use is linked to an increased risk of postpartum depression in the mother.{{cite journal | vauthors = Kroll-Desrosiers AR, Nephew BC, Babb JA, Guilarte-Walker Y, Moore Simas TA, Deligiannidis KM | title = Association of peripartum synthetic oxytocin administration and depressive and anxiety disorders within the first postpartum year | journal = Depression and Anxiety | volume = 34 | issue = 2 | pages = 137–146 | date = February 2017 | pmid = 28133901 | pmc = 5310833 | doi = 10.1002/da.22599 }}

Certain learning and memory functions are impaired by centrally administered oxytocin.{{cite journal | vauthors = Gimpl G, Fahrenholz F | title = The oxytocin receptor system: structure, function, and regulation | journal = Physiological Reviews | volume = 81 | issue = 2 | pages = 629–83 | date = April 2001 | pmid = 11274341 | doi=10.1152/physrev.2001.81.2.629| s2cid = 13265083 }} Also, systemic oxytocin administration can impair memory retrieval in certain aversive memory tasks.{{cite journal | vauthors = de Oliveira LF, Camboim C, Diehl F, Consiglio AR, Quillfeldt JA | title = Glucocorticoid-mediated effects of systemic oxytocin upon memory retrieval | journal = Neurobiology of Learning and Memory | volume = 87 | issue = 1 | pages = 67–71 | date = January 2007 | pmid = 16997585 | doi = 10.1016/j.nlm.2006.05.006 | s2cid = 25371427 }} However, oxytocin does seem to facilitate learning and memory specifically for social information. Healthy males administered intranasal oxytocin show improved memory for human faces, in particular happy faces.{{cite journal | vauthors = Guastella AJ, Mitchell PB, Mathews F | title = Oxytocin enhances the encoding of positive social memories in humans | journal = Biological Psychiatry | volume = 64 | issue = 3 | pages = 256–58 | date = August 2008 | pmid = 18343353 | doi = 10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.02.008 | s2cid = 38681820 }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Rimmele U, Hediger K, Heinrichs M, Klaver P | title = Oxytocin makes a face in memory familiar | journal = The Journal of Neuroscience | volume = 29 | issue = 1 | pages = 38–42 | date = January 2009 | pmid = 19129382 | pmc = 6664913 | doi = 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4260-08.2009 }}

In addition to its oxytocin receptor agonism, oxytocin has been found to act as a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the μ- and κ-opioid receptors and this may be involved in its analgesic effects.{{cite journal | vauthors = Drakopoulos A, Moianos D, Prifti GM, Zoidis G, Decker M | title = Opioid Ligands Addressing Unconventional Binding Sites and More Than One Opioid Receptor Subtype | journal = ChemMedChem | volume = 17 | issue = 14 | pages = e202200169 | date = July 2022 | pmid = 35560796 | doi = 10.1002/cmdc.202200169 | url = }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Kaczyńska K, Wojciechowski P | title = Non-Opioid Peptides Targeting Opioid Effects | journal = Int J Mol Sci | volume = 22 | issue = 24 | date = December 2021 | page = 13619 | pmid = 34948415 | pmc = 8709238 | doi = 10.3390/ijms222413619 | doi-access = free | url = }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Carter CS, Kingsbury MA | title = Oxytocin and oxygen: the evolution of a solution to the 'stress of life' | journal = Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci | volume = 377 | issue = 1858 | pages = 20210054 | date = August 2022 | pmid = 35856299 | pmc = 9272143 | doi = 10.1098/rstb.2021.0054 | url = }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Meguro Y, Miyano K, Hirayama S, Yoshida Y, Ishibashi N, Ogino T, Fujii Y, Manabe S, Eto M, Nonaka M, Fujii H, Ueta Y, Narita M, Sata N, Yada T, Uezono Y | title = Neuropeptide oxytocin enhances μ opioid receptor signaling as a positive allosteric modulator | journal = J Pharmacol Sci | volume = 137 | issue = 1 | pages = 67–75 | date = May 2018 | pmid = 29716811 | doi = 10.1016/j.jphs.2018.04.002 | url = | doi-access = free }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Miyano K, Yoshida Y, Hirayama S, Takahashi H, Ono H, Meguro Y, Manabe S, Komatsu A, Nonaka M, Mizuguchi T, Fujii H, Higami Y, Narita M, Uezono Y | title = Oxytocin Is a Positive Allosteric Modulator of κ-Opioid Receptors but Not δ-Opioid Receptors in the G Protein Signaling Pathway | journal = Cells | volume = 10 | issue = 10 | date = October 2021 | page = 2651 | pmid = 34685631 | pmc = 8534029 | doi = 10.3390/cells10102651 | doi-access = free | url = }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Mizuguchi T, Miyano K, Yamauchi R, Yoshida Y, Takahashi H, Yamazaki A, Ono H, Inagaki M, Nonaka M, Uezono Y, Fujii H | title = The first structure-activity relationship study of oxytocin as a positive allosteric modulator for the µ opioid receptor | journal = Peptides | volume = 159 | issue = | pages = 170901 | date = January 2023 | pmid = 36347314 | doi = 10.1016/j.peptides.2022.170901 | url = | doi-access = free }}

File:Oxytocin intravenous bag.jpg

One IU of oxytocin is the equivalent of about 1.68 μg or mcg of pure peptide.{{cite web |title=WHO International Standard OXYTOCIN 4th International Standard NIBSC code: 76/575 Instructions for use (Version 4.0, Dated 30/04/2013) |url=https://www.nibsc.org/documents/ifu/76-575.pdf |website=nibsc.org}}

• Injection: Clinical doses of oxytocin are given by injection either into a muscle or into a vein to cause contraction of the uterus. Very small amounts (< 1%) do appear to enter the central nervous system in humans when peripherally administered.{{cite journal | vauthors = Baribeau DA, Anagnostou E | title = Oxytocin and vasopressin: linking pituitary neuropeptides and their receptors to social neurocircuits | journal = Frontiers in Neuroscience | volume = 9 | pages = 335 | year = 2015 | pmid = 26441508 | pmc = 4585313 | doi = 10.3389/fnins.2015.00335 | doi-access = free }}{{better source needed|date=May 2020}} The compound has a half-life of typically about 3 minutes in the blood when given intravenously. Intravenous administration requires 40 minutes to reach a steady-state concentration and achieve maximum uterine contraction response.{{cite journal | vauthors = Seitchik J, Castillo M | title = Oxytocin augmentation of dysfunctional labor. I. Clinical data | journal = American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology | volume = 144 | issue = 8 | pages = 899–905 | date = December 1982 | pmid = 7148921 | doi = 10.1097/00006254-198307000-00010 }}
• Buccal: Oxytocin was delivered in buccal tablets, but this is not common practice any more.{{cite journal | vauthors = Mehta AC | title = Buccal and oral drugs: induction of labour | journal = Acta Chirurgica Hungarica | volume = 27 | issue = 3 | pages = 157–63 | date = 1986 | pmid = 3469841 }}
• Under the tongue: Oxytocin is poorly absorbed sublingually.{{cite journal | vauthors = De Groot AN, Vree TB, Hekster YA, Pesman GJ, Sweep FC, Van Dongen PJ, Van Roosmalen J | title = Bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of sublingual oxytocin in male volunteers | journal = The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology | volume = 47 | issue = 7 | pages = 571–75 | year = 1995 | pmid = 8568623 | doi =10.1111/j.2042-7158.1995.tb06716.x | url = https://repository.ubn.ru.nl/bitstream/2066/21581/1/21581___.PDF | hdl = 2066/21581 | s2cid = 8615529 }}
• Nasal administration: Oxytocin is effectively distributed to the brain when administered intranasally via a nasal spray, after which it reliably crosses the blood–brain barrier and exhibits psychoactive effects in humans.{{cite book | vauthors = Malenka RC, Nestler EJ, Hyman SE | veditors = Sydor A, Brown RY | title = Molecular Neuropharmacology: A Foundation for Clinical Neuroscience | year = 2009 | publisher = McGraw-Hill Medical | location = New York | isbn = 978-0-07-148127-4 | edition = 2nd | chapter = Chapter 7: Neuropeptides | quote= Oxytocin can be delivered to humans via nasal spray following which it crosses the blood–brain barrier. ... In a double-blind experiment, oxytocin spray increased trusting behavior compared to a placebo spray in a monetary game with real money at stake.}}{{cite journal | vauthors = McGregor IS, Callaghan PD, Hunt GE | title = From ultrasocial to antisocial: a role for oxytocin in the acute reinforcing effects and long-term adverse consequences of drug use? | journal = British Journal of Pharmacology | volume = 154 | issue = 2 | pages = 358–68 | date = May 2008 | pmid = 18475254 | pmc = 2442436 | doi = 10.1038/bjp.2008.132 | quote = Recent studies also highlight remarkable anxiolytic and prosocial effects of intranasally administered OT in humans, including increased 'trust', decreased amygdala activation towards fear-inducing stimuli, improved recognition of social cues and increased gaze directed towards the eye regions of others (Kirsch et al., 2005; Kosfeld et al., 2005; Domes et al., 2006; Guastella et al., 2008). }} No serious adverse effects with short-term application of oxytocin with 18~40 IU (36–80 mcg) have been recorded.{{cite journal | vauthors = Lee SY, Lee AR, Hwangbo R, Han J, Hong M, Bahn GH | title = Is Oxytocin Application for Autism Spectrum Disorder Evidence-Based? | journal = Experimental Neurobiology | volume = 24 | issue = 4 | pages = 312–24 | year = 2015 | pmid = 26713079 | pmc = 4688331 | doi = 10.5607/en.2015.24.4.312 }} Intranasal oxytocin has a central duration of at least 2.25 hours and as long as 4 hours.{{cite journal | vauthors = Weisman O, Zagoory-Sharon O, Feldman R | title = Intranasal oxytocin administration is reflected in human saliva | journal = Psychoneuroendocrinology | volume = 37 | issue = 9 | pages = 1582–86 | date = September 2012 | pmid = 22436536 | doi = 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.02.014 | s2cid = 25253083 }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Huffmeijer R, Alink LR, Tops M, Grewen KM, Light KC, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Ijzendoorn MH | title = Salivary levels of oxytocin remain elevated for more than two hours after intranasal oxytocin administration | journal = Neuro Endocrinology Letters | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | pages = 21–25 | year = 2012 | pmid = 22467107 }}
• Oral: While it was originally assumed that Oxytocin administered orally would be destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract, studies have shown that Oxytocin is transported by the immunoglobulin RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end products) across the intestinal epithelium and into the blood. Orally-administered Oxytocin has been shown to increase putamen responses to facial emotions in humans.{{cite journal | vauthors = Kou J, Lan C, Zhang Y, Wang Q, Zhou F, Zhao Z, Montag C, Yao S, Becker B, Kendrick KM | title = In the nose or on the tongue? Contrasting motivational effects of oral and intranasal oxytocin on arousal and reward during social processing | journal = Translational Psychiatry | volume = 11 | issue = 1 | pages = 94 | date = February 2021 | pmid = 33542175 | doi = 10.1038/s41398-021-01241-w | pmc = 7862637 }} Oxytocin administered orally produces different effects on human behaviour and brain function than when given intranasally, possibly due to variations in the molecular transport and binding mechanisms.

Peptide analogues of oxytocin with similar actions, for example carbetocin (Duratocin) and demoxytocin (Sandopart), have been developed and marketed for medical use.{{cite book | vauthors = Nashar PE, Whitfield AA, Mikusek J, Reekie TA | title = Oxytocin | chapter = The Current Status of Drug Discovery for the Oxytocin Receptor | series = Methods Mol Biol | volume = 2384 | pages = 153–174 | date = 2022 | publisher = Springer | location = New York, NY | pmid = 34550574 | doi = 10.1007/978-1-0716-1759-5_10 | isbn = 978-1-0716-1758-8 | s2cid = 239090096 | chapter-url = }} In addition, small-molecule oxytocin receptor agonists, like TC OT 39, WAY-267464, and LIT-001 have been developed and studied. However, lack of selectivity over vasopressin receptors has so far limited the potential usefulness of small-molecule oxytocin receptor agonists.

Oxytocin's uterine-contracting properties were discovered by British pharmacologist Henry Hallett Dale in 1906.{{cite journal | vauthors = Dale HH | title = On some physiological actions of ergot | journal = The Journal of Physiology | volume = 34 | issue = 3 | pages = 163–206 | date = May 1906 | pmid = 16992821 | pmc = 1465771 | doi = 10.1113/jphysiol.1906.sp001148 }} Oxytocin's milk ejection property was described by Ott and Scott in 1910{{cite journal | vauthors = Ott I, Scott JC |title=The Action of Infundibulum upon Mammary Secretion | journal = Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine | year = 1910 | volume = 8 |issue=2 | pages = 48–49 |doi=10.3181/00379727-8-27 |s2cid=87519246 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/1450228 }} and by Schafer and Mackenzie in 1911.{{cite journal | vauthors = Schafer EA, Mackenzie K | title = The Action of Animal Extracts on Milk Secretion |journal = Proceedings of the Royal Society B |date=July 1911 | volume = 84 | issue = 568 |pages = 16–22 | doi = 10.1098/rspb.1911.0042 | bibcode = 1911RSPSB..84...16S | s2cid = 93718970 }}

Oxytocin was the first polypeptide hormone to be sequenced{{cite journal | vauthors = Du Vigneaud V, Ressler C, Trippett S | title = The sequence of amino acids in oxytocin, with a proposal for the structure of oxytocin | journal = The Journal of Biological Chemistry | volume = 205 | issue = 2 | pages = 949–57 | date = December 1953 | doi = 10.1016/S0021-9258(18)49238-1 | pmid = 13129273 | doi-access = free }} or synthesized.{{cite journal|vauthors=du Vigneaud V, Ressler C, Swan JM, Roberts CW, Katsoyannis PG, Gordon S | title = The synthesis of an octapeptide amide with the hormonal activity of oxytocin | journal = J. Am. Chem. Soc. | volume = 75 | issue = 19 | pages = 4879–80 | year = 1953 | doi = 10.1021/ja01115a553 | bibcode = 1953JAChS..75.4879V }}{{cite journal | vauthors = du Vigneaud V, Ressler C, Swan JM, Roberts CW, Katsoyannis PG | title = The synthesis of oxytocin | journal = J. Am. Chem. Soc. | date=June 1954 | volume = 76 | issue = 12 | pages = 3115–21 | doi = 10.1021/ja01641a004| bibcode = 1954JAChS..76.3115D }} Du Vigneaud was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1955 for his work.{{cite journal | vauthors = Du Vigneaud V | title = Trail of sulfur research: from insulin to oxytocin | journal = Science | volume = 123 | issue = 3205 | pages = 967–74 | date = June 1956 | pmid = 13324123 | doi = 10.1126/science.123.3205.967 | bibcode = 1956Sci...123..967D }}

The word oxytocin was coined from the term oxytocic. Greek ὀξύς, oxys, and τόκος, tokos, meaning "quick birth".

In African and Asian countries, some oxytocin products were found to be counterfeit medications.{{cite journal | vauthors = Torloni MR, Gomes Freitas C, Kartoglu UH, Metin Gülmezoglu A, Widmer M | title = Quality of oxytocin available in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review of the literature | journal = BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology | volume = 123 | issue = 13 | pages = 2076–86 | date = December 2016 | pmid = 27006180 | doi = 10.1111/1471-0528.13998 | doi-access = free }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Stanton C, Koski A, Cofie P, Mirzabagi E, Grady BL, Brooke S | title = Uterotonic drug quality: an assessment of the potency of injectable uterotonic drugs purchased by simulated clients in three districts in Ghana | journal = BMJ Open | volume = 2 | issue = 3 | pages = e000431 | date = 2012 | pmid = 22556159 | pmc = 3346944 | doi = 10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000431 }}

The trust-inducing property of oxytocin might help those with social anxiety and depression,{{cite journal | vauthors = Hurlemann R, Patin A, Onur OA, Cohen MX, Baumgartner T, Metzler S, Dziobek I, Gallinat J, Wagner M, Maier W, Kendrick KM | title = Oxytocin enhances amygdala-dependent, socially reinforced learning and emotional empathy in humans | journal = The Journal of Neuroscience | volume = 30 | issue = 14 | pages = 4999–5007 | date = April 2010 | pmid = 20371820 | pmc = 6632777 | doi = 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5538-09.2010 }} anxiety, fear, and social dysfunctions, such as generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder, as well as autism and schizophrenia, among others.{{cite journal | vauthors = Cochran DM, Fallon D, Hill M, Frazier JA | title = The role of oxytocin in psychiatric disorders: a review of biological and therapeutic research findings | journal = Harvard Review of Psychiatry | volume = 21 | issue = 5 | pages = 219–47 | year = 2013 | pmid = 24651556 | pmc = 4120070 | doi = 10.1097/HRP.0b013e3182a75b7d }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Neumann ID, Slattery DA | title = Oxytocin in General Anxiety and Social Fear: A Translational Approach | journal = Biological Psychiatry | volume = 79 | issue = 3 | pages = 213–21 | year = 2016 | pmid = 26208744 | doi = 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.06.004 | doi-access = free }} However, a 2013 meta-analysis only autism spectrum disorder showed a significant combined effect size.{{cite journal | vauthors = Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, ((van I Jzendoorn MH)) | title = Sniffing around oxytocin: review and meta-analyses of trials in healthy and clinical groups with implications for pharmacotherapy | journal = Translational Psychiatry | volume = 3 | issue = 5| pages = e258 | year = 2013 | pmid = 23695233 | pmc = 3669921 | doi = 10.1038/tp.2013.34 }} A 2022 study found an indication of an effect among autistic children aged 3–5, but not among autistic children aged 5-12.{{cite journal | vauthors = Guastella AJ, Boulton KA, Whitehouse AJ, Song YJ, Thapa R, Gregory SG, Pokorski I, Granich J, DeMayo MM, Ambarchi Z, Wray J, Thomas EE, Hickie IB | title = The effect of oxytocin nasal spray on social interaction in young children with autism: a randomized clinical trial | journal = Molecular Psychiatry | volume = 28 | issue = 2 | pages = 834–842 | date = February 2023 | pmid = 36302965 | doi = 10.1038/s41380-022-01845-8 | pmc = 9607840 }}

People using oxytocin show improved recognition for positive social cues over threatening social cues{{cite journal | vauthors = Unkelbach C, Guastella AJ, Forgas JP | title = Oxytocin selectively facilitates recognition of positive sex and relationship words | journal = Psychological Science | volume = 19 | issue = 11 | pages = 1092–94 | date = November 2008 | pmid = 19076479 | doi = 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02206.x | s2cid = 19670817 }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Marsh AA, Yu HH, Pine DS, Blair RJ | title = Oxytocin improves specific recognition of positive facial expressions | journal = Psychopharmacology | volume = 209 | issue = 3 | pages = 225–32 | date = April 2010 | pmid = 20186397 | doi = 10.1007/s00213-010-1780-4 | s2cid = 4820244 }} and improved recognition of fear.{{cite journal | vauthors = Fischer-Shofty M, Shamay-Tsoory SG, Harari H, Levkovitz Y | title = The effect of intranasal administration of oxytocin on fear recognition | journal = Neuropsychologia | volume = 48 | issue = 1 | pages = 179–84 | year = 2010 | pmid = 19747930 | doi = 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.09.003 | s2cid = 34778485 }}

• Autism: Oxytocin may play a role in autism and may be an effective treatment for autism's repetitive and affiliative behaviors.{{cite book | vauthors = Bartz JA, Hollander E | title = Advances in Vasopressin and Oxytocin – from Genes to Behaviour to Disease | chapter = Oxytocin and experimental therapeutics in autism spectrum disorders | volume = 170 | pages = 451–62 | year = 2008 | pmid = 18655901 | doi = 10.1016/S0079-6123(08)00435-4 | isbn = 978-0-444-53201-5 | series = Progress in Brain Research | publisher = Elsevier }}
• Relationship counseling: The use of oxytocin in relationship counseling for well-being has been suggested.{{cite journal | vauthors = Wudarczyk OA, Earp BD, Guastella A, Savulescu J | title = Could intranasal oxytocin be used to enhance relationships? Research imperatives, clinical policy, and ethical considerations | journal = Current Opinion in Psychiatry | volume = 26 | issue = 5 | pages = 474–84 | year = 2013 | pmid = 23880593 | pmc = 3935449 | doi = 10.1097/YCO.0b013e3283642e10 }}
• Post-traumatic stress disorder: It has been suggested that oxytocin may be a safer option than MDMA for the treatment of PTSD, although oxytocin has less evidence of efficacy.{{cite journal | vauthors = Parrott AC | title = The potential dangers of using MDMA for psychotherapy | journal = Journal of Psychoactive Drugs | volume = 46 | issue = 1 | pages = 37–43 | date = 2014 | pmid = 24830184 | doi = 10.1080/02791072.2014.873690 }}

• Attachment theory
• List of investigational anxiolytics
• List of investigational sexual dysfunction drugs

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