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FDA-approvedVendors pendingFacts verified · 2026-05-25

Oxytocin

Also known as oxt, syntocinon · Wikipedia

Oxytocin is a 9-amino-acid hypothalamic nonapeptide (Cys-Tyr-Ile-Gln-Asn-Cys-Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2 with a Cys1-Cys6 disulfide bridge) synthesized in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei and released from the posterior pituitary. It is FDA-approved as Pitocin for induction or augmentation of labor and for control of postpartum hemorrhage (https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/018261Orig1s041lbl.pdf), and is the WHO first-line uterotonic for active management of the third stage of labor. Intranasal oxytocin (historically Syntocinon for milk letdown) is widely investigated in social-cognition, autism, and addiction research, but remains investigational outside obstetrics and has substantial reproducibility concerns. Also known as: OXT; Syntocinon.

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Mechanism of action

Oxytocin is a hypothalamic nonapeptide signaling through the oxytocin receptor (OXTR), a Gq-coupled GPCR. Peripheral activation drives uterine smooth-muscle contraction (labor and postpartum hemostasis) and myoepithelial-cell contraction in mammary ducts (milk letdown) (https://www.

Oxytocin is a hypothalamic nonapeptide signaling through the oxytocin receptor (OXTR), a Gq-coupled GPCR. Peripheral activation drives uterine smooth-muscle contraction (labor and postpartum hemostasis) and myoepithelial-cell contraction in mammary ducts (milk letdown) (https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/018261Orig1s041lbl.pdf). Central activation modulates social cognition, pair bonding, trust, threat perception, and stress reactivity, with intranasal delivery hypothesized to reach the CNS via olfactory and trigeminal nerve pathways that bypass the blood-brain barrier; rodent data show >95% of brain oxytocin after nasal dosing arrives via direct nose-to-brain transit (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6679720/). Oxytocin has weak V2 vasopressin-receptor activity, accounting for antidiuretic effects and the hyponatremia/water-intoxication risk of prolonged high-dose IV infusion.

Pharmacokinetic properties

Half-life

Plasma ~3-5 minutes (IV); CSF/CNS extracellular space up to ~28 minutes after intranasal

Routes

intravenous · intramuscular · intranasal · subcutaneous

Bioavailability

Critical route difference: IV (Pitocin) is used obstetrically with near-100% bioavailability and tight titration possible due to short half-life. Intranasal has only ~2% systemic bioavailability vs IV, but >95% of CNS oxytocin from nasal delivery may transit nose-to-brain directly. Oral bioavailability is essentially zero (peptide degraded in GI tract).

Amino-acid sequence

Cys-Tyr-Ile-Gln-Asn-Cys-Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2 (disulfide Cys1-Cys6)

Use & research dosing

Social BondingSexual Function

FDA-labeled Pitocin: labor induction by IV infusion starting at 0.5-1 mU/min, titrated upward by 1-2 mU/min every 30-60 minutes; postpartum hemorrhage 10 IU IM after delivery of the placenta, or 10-40 IU added to 1 L of IV fluid (https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/018261Orig1s041lbl.pdf). WHO recommends 10 IU IM for active management of the third stage of labor (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6487388/). Behavioral-research intranasal protocols typically use 24 IU single dose ~45 minutes pre-task; community/off-label protocols report 10-40 IU intranasally for social or sexual indications. Routes are not interchangeable - intranasal systemic bioavailability is ~2% of IV.

Research-use framing only. SavePeptides sells nothing for human consumption. Doses above reflect reported research / self-experimentation ranges, not clinical recommendations.

Editorial perspective

Confidence is HIGH for obstetric IV use (Pitocin is FDA-approved with decades of clinical evidence and is the WHO first-line uterotonic). Confidence is much lower for off-label intranasal psychiatric and behavioral indications: a 24 IU intranasal dose is pharmacologically very different from 24 IU IV (only ~2% systemic bioavailability), and the social-cognition literature has well-documented reproducibility issues (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4021009/). Research subjects should not extrapolate from obstetric PK to nasal CNS effects.

— SavePeptides editorial desk · last updated 2026-05-25

Cautions & contraindications

Before researching this compound, note:

  • IV use requires continuous obstetric monitoring - uterine hyperstimulation, fetal distress, uterine rupture, and amniotic fluid embolism are recognized risks (https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/018261Orig1s041lbl.pdf)
  • Water intoxication and hyponatremia possible with prolonged high-dose IV due to weak antidiuretic V2 activity
  • Hypotension and reflex tachycardia with bolus IV administration; severe cardiovascular reactions reported with rapid IV push
  • Contraindicated in cephalopelvic disproportion, fetal distress without imminent delivery, unfavorable fetal positions or presentations, hypertonic or hyperactive uterine patterns, placenta previa, vasa previa, prior classical uterine incision, and induced or augmented labor where vaginal delivery is contraindicated
  • Intranasal oxytocin for behavioral research is generally well tolerated but long-term safety, optimal dose, and CNS PK are not characterized; reproducibility of social-cognition effects is contested (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4021009/)
  • Pregnancy: only the FDA-labeled obstetric indications are validated; off-label intranasal use in pregnancy is not recommended
  • Avoid concomitant vasoconstrictors (severe hypertension reported with sympathomimetics and ergot alkaloids)
  • Children and adolescents: limited safety data for intranasal use

Research foundation

The papers behind the page.

  1. [01]https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/018261Orig1s041lbl.pdf
  2. [02]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6487388/
  3. [03]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6679720/
  4. [04]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4021009/
  5. [05]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7815514/

Facts verified

2026-05-25

Confidence

high

What this means

  • IV/obstetric use is FDA-approved; intranasal behavioral use is investigational with PK and reproducibility concerns

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