LTP·01learntopeptide
OtherPeptideEvidence B2 cited

Oxytocin

Love Hormone

aka Pitocin · Syntocinon · OXT

A natural peptide hormone research associates with social bonding, trust, and stress reduction.

Molecular wt
1007.19 (FDA Pitocin label); PubChem computes 1007.2g/mol
Formula
C43H66N12O12S2
CAS
50-56-6
Half-life
6 min
established
Tmax
30 min
Route
Intranasal (also subcutaneous)
PubChem
439302

Sequence

One-letter9 residues

CYIQNCPLG

Three-letter

Cys-Tyr-Ile-Gln-Asn-Cys-Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2

Read this before quoting the sequence
Nonapeptide with an intramolecular disulfide bridge between Cys1 and Cys6, forming a six-residue ring plus a three-residue tail, and a C-terminal glycinamide. PubChem records it as 'Cys-Tyr-Ile-Gln-Asn-Cys-Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2, cyclic 1-6 disulfide'.
Source ↗

Mechanism of action

Oxytocin is a peptide hormone that acts primarily in the brain, binding to oxytocin receptors which are G-protein coupled receptors. This binding triggers a cascade of intracellular events that influence social bonding, stress reduction, and emotional regulation. It modulates neurotransmitter release, particularly in the amygdala and other limbic structures, which are key areas for emotion and social behavior.

What the evidence actually shows

Grade B

There are several human trials that have investigated oxytocin's effects on social behavior and stress reduction. These studies generally support its role in enhancing social interactions and reducing anxiety, though results can be variable. More research is needed to fully understand its therapeutic potential and long-term effects.

Regulatory status

Status
Approved prescription medicine (injection). Approved for obstetric use only; the intranasal use studied for social/behavioural indications is NOT approved.
Approved as
Pitocin (oxytocin injection, USP), 10 units/mL, FDA-approved for antepartum use to initiate or reinforce labour where medically indicated, for management of incomplete or inevitable abortion, and postpartum to produce uterine contractions and control bleeding. Label dosing: labour induction begins at 0.5-1 mU/min intravenously, increasing by 1-2 mU/min at 30-60 minute intervals, rarely exceeding 9-10 mU/min at term; for postpartum bleeding, 10-40 units in an intravenous infusion or 10 units intramuscularly after placental delivery; for abortion management, not more than 30 units in a 12-hour period.
Clinical stage
Approved for obstetric indications. Intranasal oxytocin for autism reached a large multicentre randomised trial and was negative (PMID 34644471).
UK
prescription_only

In the UK, oxytocin is a prescription-only medication, primarily used for obstetric purposes.

Source ↗

Pharmacokinetics

Half-life
6 min
Tmax
30 min
Absorption
subcutaneous
Elimination
renal
Washout
1 days
Low-confidence pharmacokinetics
These figures are recorded as established rather than measured in a published PK study. Treat them as an order of magnitude. Anything downstream of them — accumulation, steady state, washout — inherits that uncertainty.

Dosing — what backs each figure

Oxytocin is an approved drug, but only as an injection: intravenous infusion titrated from 0.5-1 mU/min for labour, or 10 units intramuscularly / 10-40 units in an IV bag for postpartum bleeding. Intranasal oxytocin - the form behind almost all behavioural and social-bonding claims - is not FDA approved in the United States; the doses used in research (commonly 24 IU per administration, up to a 48 IU/day total in the largest autism trial) come from trials, and that trial found no benefit over placebo.

ClinicalApproved labelling or a published human trial

Handling and storage

No compound-specific stability data exists
The approved US product (Pitocin, oxytocin injection USP, 10 units/mL) is supplied as a ready-to-use solution, not a lyophilised powder, and its label instructs: 'Store between 20 degrees to 25 degrees C (68 degrees to 77 degrees F).' No lyophilised or reconstituted stability data applies to the approved product, and no light-protection instruction appears in the retrieved label section. General peptide handling still applies — reconstitute gently, keep it cold, keep it dark — but any specific figure you see quoted for this compound elsewhere is someone's assumption, not a measurement.
→ Reconstitution walkthrough→ Reconstitution calculator

Safety

Commonly reported
  • ·Nasal irritation
  • ·Headache
Rarely reported
  • ·Seizures
  • ·"Severe allergic reactions"
Contraindications
  • ·Pregnancy
  • ·"Severe cardiovascular conditions"
Drug interactions
  • ·Antidepressants: May enhance serotonergic effects, increasing risk of serotonin syndrome

Reported combinations

Reported as synergistic
  • ·Magnesium: May enhance calming effects
Reported as antagonistic
  • ·Caffeine: May counteract calming effects

Combination claims in this dataset are largely unsourced and should be treated as folk knowledge until a citation appears beside them.

References (2)

Data provenance

Chemistry and citations on this page were checked against primary sources on 2026-08-14. Values that could not be verified were left blank rather than filled with a plausible guess.

Could not verify
storage.lyophilized, storage.reconstituted, storage.lightSensitive, reconstitution.solvent, regulatory.wada

Research use only
This profile is educational reference material. It is not medical advice, not a prescription, and not an endorsement of self-administration. Compounds discussed here are research chemicals and most are not approved for human therapeutic use.

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