Oxytocin

Category: peptide

Aliases: Pitocin, Syntocinon

Pharmacological Mechanism

Posterior-pituitary nonapeptide with a disulfide bond between Cys-1 and Cys-6 forming a 6-member ring + 3-aa C-terminal tail ending in glycine amide. Activates OXTR (Gq-coupled) in uterus (labour), breast (milk ejection), and CNS (affiliative behaviour, social cognition). Research use intranasally for trust/bonding modulation; clinical efficacy contested.

Half-Life (t½)

IV: 0.07h

Dosing Guidelines

Target Organ Systems