Peptide LibraryOxytocin
Also known as: Pitocin, Syntocinon, OXT
Oxytocin (also called Pitocin or Syntocinon) is an FDA-approved nonapeptide hormone in the Oxytocin receptor agonist class. Oxytocin is a nonapeptide synthesised in the hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei and released from the posterior pituitary. It acts at the oxytocin receptor, a Gq-coupled receptor that raises intracellular calcium.
For research use only.
Key Facts
- CAS
- 50-56-6
- Molecular Weight (MW)
- 1007.2 g/mol
- Half-life
- 1–6 minutes (IV)
- FDA status
- Approved
- Evidence level
- FDA Approved
- Human dose established
- Yes
- Administration Route
- Intravenous infusion (approved) · Intramuscular (approved, postpartum) · Intranasal (trials only)
- Frequency
- Continuous infusion in labor; single injection postpartum
- Last updated
- Nov 7, 2026
- Reviewed
- Nov 7, 2026
- Targets
- OXTR
Vendor price snapshot
Each vendor counts once, at the median price per mg of its own listings; the typical range is the middle half of vendors. From public vendor listings collected between Oct 2026 and Nov 2026, so confirm the live price on the vendor site. Peptide Library does not sell peptides.
- Vendors listing this peptide
- 27
- Listed offers
- 38
- Median price per mg (peptide vials)
- $5.80/mg
- Typical $4.75–$6.49/mg
By form
Each form is priced on its own: a price per mg doesn't make a spray or a capsule equivalent to a vial.
- Peptide vials26 vendors · median $5.80/mg
- Nasal sprays1 vendor
- Sprays, route not stated2 vendors · $12.40/mg
Research summary
FDA-approved nonapeptide (Pitocin) for labor induction/augmentation and postpartum hemorrhage. Intranasal research use for social cognition is not an approved indication.
Research evidence
- Regulatory review (FDA label)2 reviewed sources
- Controlled human trials1 reviewed source
- Early or uncontrolled human studiesNone in reviewed sources
- Lab & animal studiesNone in reviewed sources
How it works
Each step shows whether the sources Peptide Library has reviewed include that kind of research. Counts are reviewed sources, not every study ever published. Reviews and programme summaries that describe human use are shown as "reported", not as trials, and registered trials without published results are listed but not counted. A higher step means research has progressed further; it does not mean a compound works better or is safer. Compounds whose evidence has not been reviewed yet show "Not reviewed" instead of a guess.
Peptide Library's Oxytocin profile summarises 5 cited studies listed in the Science section, the compound's regulatory status, and research-protocol parameters reported for it. It is a research reference, not medical advice.
Oxytocin dosage evidence
Oxytocin has an FDA-approved human dosage only in obstetrics. The Pitocin label starts labor induction at 0.5–1 milliunits per minute by intravenous infusion, raised by 1–2 milliunits per minute every 30–60 minutes to the needed contraction pattern; after delivery it lists 10 units intramuscularly, or 10–40 units added to an intravenous infusion. Intranasal oxytocin has only been studied in trials, for example 16 IU a day in children with Prader-Willi syndrome.
| Human dosing established | Yes |
|---|---|
| Route | Intravenous infusion (approved) · Intramuscular (approved, postpartum) · Intranasal (trials only) |
| Frequency | Continuous infusion in labor; single injection postpartum |
| Duration studied | Peripartum only |
| Titration | Infusion rate raised in 1–2 mU/min steps every 30–60 minutes by uterine response; the label notes rates above 9–10 mU/min are rarely needed at term. |
| Evidence level | FDA Approved |
| Last reviewed | 2026-11-07 |
Research-reported dosing
Doses as studied, one row per regimen. Different trials used different regimens; they are listed separately rather than averaged.
| Study / context | Population | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Outcome studied | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDA label — Pitocin, induction or stimulation of laborFDA-approved label · FDA prescribing information | Pregnant patients with a medical indication for induction or stimulation of labor | Start at 0.5–1 mU/min, increase by 1–2 mU/min at 30–60 minute intervals (standard solution: 10 units in 1,000 mL, 10 mU/mL) | Intravenous infusion by pump | Continuous | During labor | Uterine contractions adequate for vaginal delivery | PITOCIN (oxytocin) injection — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed |
| FDA label — Pitocin, control of postpartum bleedingFDA-approved label · FDA prescribing information | Patients after delivery of the placenta | 10 units intramuscularly, or 10–40 units added to a running intravenous infusion (maximum 40 units per 1,000 mL) | Intramuscular or intravenous infusion | Once, or infusion adjusted to response | Postpartum | Uterine contraction and control of uterine atony | PITOCIN (oxytocin) injection — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed |
| NCT02629991 — intranasal oxytocin for hyperphagia in Prader-Willi syndrome, results postedClinical trial · Phase 2 placebo-controlled trial with posted results | Children and adolescents with Prader-Willi syndrome (n=23) | 16 IU a day (2 sprays per nostril, 4 IU per spray) | Intranasal | Daily | Per trial protocol | Hyperphagia | NCT02629991 — Oxytocin vs. Placebo for the Treatment Hyperphagia in Children and Adolescents With Prader-Willi Syndrome |
Where sources disagree
- Oxytocin is dosed in units, not milligrams, and the approved infusion is dosed per minute by uterine response. A milligram figure or a fixed daily dose does not describe the approved use.
- The label states Pitocin is not indicated for elective induction of labor, and every approved use is in obstetrics. Intranasal oxytocin for social, appetite or mood outcomes has only been studied in trials.
Handling & administration
- Timing Notes
- Educational catalog only — not medical advice
Sequence & molecular data
| Molecular formula | C43H66N12O12S2 |
|---|---|
| Molecular weight | 1007.2 g/mol |
| CAS number | 50-56-6 |
| Half-life | 1–6 minutes (IV) |
| Appearance | Solution for injection |
| Formulation | Solution |
| PubChem CID | 439302 |
| FDA UNII | 1JQS135EYN |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL395429 |
Identifiers link to the public PubChem, FDA Substance Registration (UNII), ChEMBL and DrugBank records for the same entity.
Science
Mechanism of Action
Oxytocin is a nonapeptide synthesised in the hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei and released from the posterior pituitary. It acts at the oxytocin receptor, a Gq-coupled receptor that raises intracellular calcium. Peripherally this produces rhythmic contraction of uterine myometrium — with receptor density rising sharply near term, which is why sensitivity is gestation-dependent — and contraction of mammary myoepithelial cells for milk ejection. Centrally, oxytocin released within the brain acts as a neuromodulator in circuits governing social recognition, pair bonding and stress reactivity. Peripheral administration crosses the blood-brain barrier poorly, which is why intranasal routes are used in behavioural research and why peripheral and central effects should not be assumed equivalent.
Origin
Endogenous cyclic nonapeptide; synthetic pharmaceutical.
Targets
Studies
- Oxytocin and postpartum depression: A systematic review
- Association of postpartum oxytocin dose and postpartum bleeding outcomes in nulliparous patients at term
- The effects of intranasal oxytocin on the efficacy of psychotherapy for major depressive disorder: a pilot randomized controlled trial
- The Role of Oxytocin in Parental Care
- The physiology and pharmacology of oxytocin in labor and in the peripartum period
Regulatory & research status
Oxytocin is an FDA-approved product for specific labelled indications. Approval does not extend to the research contexts described on this page, and approved products are prescription medicines.
| FDA status | Approved |
|---|---|
| Availability | Prescription-Only |
| WADA (sport) | Permitted |
| Library classification | FDA-Approved |
How FDA approval, compounding and research-only status differ
Benefits
Oxytocin side effects
The effects below are drawn from Oxytocin's prescribing information, which lists the full adverse-reaction data.
Side Effects
- Water intoxication
- Uterine hyperstimulation
- Hypotension
Storage & stability
This compound is not supplied as a powder to be mixed, so the freeze-dried powder and reconstitution handling described for research peptides does not apply. Storage conditions are product-specific: follow the label or packaging of the product itself.
Oxytocin: frequently asked questions
What is Oxytocin?
FDA-approved nonapeptide (Pitocin) for labor induction/augmentation and postpartum hemorrhage. Intranasal research use for social cognition is not an approved indication.
How does Oxytocin work?
Oxytocin is a nonapeptide synthesised in the hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei and released from the posterior pituitary. It acts at the oxytocin receptor, a Gq-coupled receptor that raises intracellular calcium.
Is Oxytocin FDA approved?
Yes. Oxytocin is approved by the FDA, and approved products are prescription medicines. Approval is always for specific indications studied in clinical trials, so an approved status does not mean the compound is approved for every use it is discussed for. Research-chemical material sold under the same name is not the approved product.
What is the half-life of Oxytocin?
Reported half-life for Oxytocin is 1–6 minutes (IV). Half-life describes how long the compound persists in circulation, not how long any effect lasts, and published figures vary with route of administration, formulation and the population studied.
Is Oxytocin banned in sport?
Oxytocin is recorded here as permitted in sport. Anti-doping status is revised annually, so athletes subject to testing should confirm against the current WADA Prohibited List before use.
What peptides are similar to Oxytocin?
Compounds most often compared with Oxytocin include Carbetocin, Atosiban, Bremelanotide and Gonadorelin. They are grouped by shared mechanism or research area rather than by equivalence, and their regulatory status and evidence base differ.
References
- Pitocin labelExternal reference
- Oxytocin and postpartum depression: A systematic review — Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2020External reference
- Association of postpartum oxytocin dose and postpartum bleeding outcomes in nulliparous patients at term — Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2025External reference
- The effects of intranasal oxytocin on the efficacy of psychotherapy for major depressive disorder: a pilot randomized controlled trial — Psychol Med, 2024External reference
- The Role of Oxytocin in Parental Care — Endocrinology, 2025External reference
- The physiology and pharmacology of oxytocin in labor and in the peripartum period — Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2024External reference
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Compiled by Peptide Library Editorial · Reviewed Aug 30, 2026 · Updated Nov 7, 2026 · Version 2
This Oxytocin profile is compiled from published literature (5 cited studies linked above), public regulatory records and chemical registries. It describes what research reports; it is not medical advice, and nothing here is a dosing recommendation for humans. Peptide Library does not sell peptides. Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled · Report an error
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