OT Human

The uterine-contracting properties of oxytocin were first discovered by British pharmacologist Sir Henry Hallett Dale in 1906 . The milk ejection property was described by Ott and Scott in 1910 and by Schafer and Mackenzie in 1911 . The hormone was named “oxytocin” by a team of scientists led by Oliver Kamm at Parke-Davis and Company in 1928 . In the early 1950s, American biochemist Vincent du Vigneaud identified the amino acid sequence of oxytocin and synthesized it, making it the first polypeptide hormone to be synthesized .

Oxytocin is involved in several key functions:

• Labor and Delivery: It stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth, facilitating labor .
• Lactation: It promotes the ejection of milk from the mammary glands during breastfeeding .
• Social and Sexual Behavior: Oxytocin influences social bonding, sexual activity, and maternal behaviors .

Oxytocin acts by binding to oxytocin receptors, which are G-protein-coupled receptors found in various tissues, including the uterus, mammary glands, and brain . The release of oxytocin is regulated by a positive feedback mechanism. For example, during childbirth, uterine contractions stimulate the release of oxytocin, which in turn increases the intensity and frequency of contractions .

Oxytocin is available in pharmaceutical form and is used to induce labor, control postpartum bleeding, and stimulate milk ejection in breastfeeding mothers . It is also being studied for its potential therapeutic effects in conditions such as autism, anxiety, and social disorders .