Peptides DB
Research-centric peptide and protocol reference hub

Oxytocin record · updated 17h ago

Neuro & moodHealing & recoveryGrade A · human clinicalResearch use only
All 40 studiesJump to the evidenceCompare
What is Oxytocin used for?

Oxytocin is a neuropeptide synthesized in the hypothalamus and released by the posterior pituitary gland. It plays a significant role in various physiological and behavioral processes, including social bonding, reproductive behaviors, emotional regulation, childbirth, and lactation. The mechanisms of action of oxytocin involve its binding to specific receptors in the brain and peripheral tissues, influencing neural circuits associated with social cognition, attachment, and stress response.

How it works: Oxytocin receptor agonist

Primarily researched for · Neuro & moodRoute · Intravenous injection; Intranasal administration

Development stage

where Oxytocin sits between preclinical work and regulatory approval
  1. 1Cleared
    Preclinical
    Animal / in-vitro work
  2. 2Cleared
    Phase 1
    Safety in humans
  3. 3Cleared
    Phase 2
    Efficacy signal
  4. 4Cleared
    Phase 3
    Confirmatory trials
  5. 5Current
    Approved
    Cleared by a regulator

Stage is inferred from the highest trial phase in the indexed corpus and 187 registered trials. It describes the research record, not a recommendation.

Identity
NameOxytocin
Chain length9 amino acids
Molecular weight1,007.2 Da
FormulaC43H66N12O12S2
Structure typePeptide
ClassNeuro
Research levelFDA Approved
Discovered byAdded before provenance tracking · 2025

Mass and formula from PubChem CID 439302. The chain length is only shown where the residues account for that mass, so a figure here has been checked against it rather than taken on trust.

Pharmacology
MechanismOxytocin receptor agonist
RouteIntravenous injection; Intranasal administration
Half-life~3-5 min
Time to peak~30 min
Duration1-2 hours
Extraction confidence0.90
Effect profile · 0–5
These seven scores are generated by the Librarian — an autonomous agent running GPT-4o over the indexed studies, trials and label data for this compound. No human assigns them and no community vote moves them. Last recomputed Oct 6, 2026. How this works →
Research stats
Total studies40
Human / animal / cellular20 / 10 / 1
Highest trial phasePhase 2
Years covered2010–2026
Latest study11d ago
Publication history
20102026
Research funding
4,813 NIH projects · $24.1M awarded · through FY2026
Public grants naming this compound. Funding is interest, not evidence.
Safety signals
FAERS reports2,682
Serious AEs in animal work—
Community reports—
Positive —Neutral —Negative —
Records

Study register

40 rows · newest 12 shownOpen in the library →
StudyTypeYearSummary depth
Oxytocin preserves excitatory responsiveness of VTA dopaminergic neurons in PTSD model rats.
FindingNot reported in abstract.
Animal2026Full text read0.70
Associations between human oxytocin receptor gene promoter DNA methylation and brain structural connectome in panic disorder in Korea.
FindingNot reported in abstract.
Human2026Full text read0.80
Chemogenetic activation of hypothalamic oxytocin neurons reorients face exploration toward the eyes in macaques
FindingNot reported in abstract.
Animal2026Full text read0.70
Perfusion response to treatment outcome: CEUS links oxytocin to HIFU efficacy prediction for uterine fibroids.
FindingAPDT(Δt) was significantly longer in the ≥70% group at 16.76 ± 12.12 s, p<0.05.
Human2026Full text read0.80
The Effect of Intrauterine Oxytocin-Soaked Gauze on Postoperative Bleeding in Cesarean Section: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial
FindingMedian blood loss was 440 mL [IQR 350–530] in the oxytocin group compared with 540 mL [420–625] in the saline group and 625 mL [475–700] in the control group; p<0.001.
Human2026Full text read0.90
Epigenetic Signals in Perinatal Depression: A Systematic Review of Maternal-Fetal Stress, Hormonal, and Neurodevelopmental Pathways
FindingNot reported in abstract.
review2026Full text read0.70
Oromucosal administration of oxytocin and its receptor antagonist atosiban respectively increase and decrease preferential attention to dynamic social stimuli in men
Finding48 IU oxytocin significantly increased preferential viewing of social stimuli relative to placebo, n=250.
Human2026Full text read0.80
Epigenetic Signals in Perinatal Depression: A Systematic Review of Maternal-Fetal Stress, Hormonal, and Neurodevelopmental Pathways
FindingNot reported in abstract.
review2026Full text read0.80
\Stopping Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review of Drugs Inhibiting Uterine Contractions.
FindingNot reported in abstract.
review2026Full text read0.80
Predicting Category II and III foetal heart rate patterns during epidural analgesia: a retrospective cohort study.
FindingThe nomogram's AUC was 0.800.
Human2026Full text read0.80
Associations between high perceived stress, inflammatory proteins, and BDNF: a cross-sectional study of young adult females in Shanghai, China.
Finding4E-BP1 log2FC = 0.565 in high perceived stress group.
Human2026Full text read0.70
Sex differences in DNA demethylation machinery precede sex differences in the oxytocinergic system in the postnatal mouse brain
FindingNot reported in abstract.
Animal2026Full text read0.70

What people are saying

anecdotal · not evidence

Unverified first-hand accounts from public forums. These are not studies: nobody checked what was taken, whether it was what the label said, or what else was going on. They count for nothing in the evidence grade above and are shown because a reader searching Oxytocin will meet them anyway, and meeting them next to a graded evidence base is better than meeting them alone.

Community collection has not run yet, so this is an empty shelf rather than a quiet one — nothing has been read, and no conclusion about how much Oxytocin is discussed should be drawn from it.

Articles mentioning Oxytocin