Peptide Profile
Oxytocin
OT · Pitocin
Oxytocin is an endogenous hypothalamic nonapeptide and FDA-approved prescription medication (Pitocin) indicated for initiation and augmentation of labor, management of postpartum uterine atony and hemorrhage, and stimulation of…
- Half-life
- ~3-5 minutes (plasma); longer CNS effects
- Routes
- intranasal, subcutaneous, intravenous
Educational research information — not medical advice. Review primary sources and consult a qualified professional before any decision.
Educational research tools — not medical advice.
What Oxytocin is
About Oxytocin
Neuropeptide hormone binding oxytocin receptors throughout brain and body; modulates HPA axis, reduces cortisol, promotes parasympathetic tone
Oxytocin is an endogenous hypothalamic nonapeptide and FDA-approved prescription medication (Pitocin) indicated for initiation and augmentation of labor, management of postpartum uterine atony and hemorrhage, and stimulation of milk letdown in breastfeeding women, acting through peripheral oxytocin receptors in the uterus and mammary gland. Beyond its obstetric and lactation roles, oxytocin functions centrally as a neuromodulator in limbic and cortical circuits involved in social recognition, attachment, trust behavior, and fear regulation, with broadly distributed brain oxytocin receptors mediating effects distinct from its peripheral reproductive actions. A landmark randomized, double-blind trial published in Nature demonstrated that intranasal oxytocin significantly increases trust in humans, and controlled research has subsequently characterized its effects on social attention to facial cues and affective empathy, establishing the central prosocial pharmacology of the peptide in human subjects. Oxytocin is FDA-approved only for its obstetric and lactation indications; intranasal formulations for prosocial, cognitive, or psychiatric applications are investigational, and while the mechanistic rationale is established in healthy-volunteer research, no intranasal oxytocin product has received regulatory approval for any psychiatric or behavioral indication. Intranasal oxytocin in research: published studies have administered intranasal oxytocin across a range of doses (typically 20–40 IU). This delivery route is studied for the hypothesis that olfactory epithelium absorption provides partial access to the CNS beyond what the blood-brain barrier would permit from systemic routes. Research applications under active investigation include autism spectrum disorder (multiple RCTs examining social cognition outcomes), PTSD (fear extinction augmentation), social anxiety disorder, and borderline personality disorder — none of which has produced a regulatory-ready efficacy signal sufficient for approval as of 2025, though ongoing trial activity is substantial. Oxytocin's anti-inflammatory research profile is also documented — oxytocin receptors are expressed on immune cells and the peptide has been shown to suppress pro-inflammatory cytokine release in preclinical models, an emerging research direction that intersects with gut and systemic inflammation contexts. Telehealth providers and compounding pharmacies offering oxytocin formulations for clinical contexts are listed in the PeptideBase directory.
Women's Health
Oxytocin is FDA-approved as a supervised obstetric drug for labor induction/augmentation and postpartum hemorrhage management. A randomized controlled trial of intranasal oxytocin for breastfeeding milk output found no significant benefit over placebo, and the intranasal lactation product was withdrawn from the US market. A systematic review of synthetic oxytocin and postpartum depression found the evidence inconclusive. Oxytocin's obstetric use is supervised-clinical, not a self-administered wellness protocol.
Oxytocin Benefits & Research Areas
Research Signals
Commonly researched in the context of
Population research notes
These signals reflect research interest areas, not treatment indications.
Oxytocin half-life calculator
Compound & timing
Plasma clearance only: this reflects how long the compound is detectable in blood plasma — biological effects can outlast plasma levels.
Model: single-dose, first-order (single-compartment) estimate. Real clearance is multi-compartment and varies by individual and route.
What the evidence says about Oxytocin
Research Evidence
based on 16 studies · 3 RCTs · most recent 2026
Regulatory Status
- Availability Status
- Prescription
- FDA Status
- FDA Approved
- Effective Date
- July 9, 1980
- Source
- View FDA source →
FDA-approved oxytocic hormone. Brand: Pitocin (NDA 016992 and generics). Indicated for labor induction and postpartum hemorrhage. As an approved drug it is compounded via the approved-drug / USP-monograph route; its bulk substance appears on the FDA 503B outsourcing-facility list, not the 503A pharmacy bulk-substances list. Prescription only.
Regulatory status reflects publicly available information and may change. This is not legal or medical advice.
Research Sources
16 sources cited · 2 strong · 14 moderate
3 RCTs · 8 Cohorts · 5 Reviews
Oxytocin: physiology, pharmacology, and clinical application for labor management
Am J Obstet Gynecol · 2023
Reviews established supervised obstetric use of oxytocin for labor induction/augmentation.
Oxytocin increases trust in humans
Nature · 2005
Research in a randomized double-blind trial found that intranasal oxytocin 24 IU substantially increased the willingness of participants to trust strangers in a financial decision task compared with placebo, with no increase in general risk-taking behavior, identifying a specific prosocial effect on trust mediated by oxytocin's central nervous system actions.
Metal- and Redox-Dependent Oxytocin Species Differentially Regulate Invasion and Migration in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.
ACS Chem Biol · 2026
Show 13 more sources ↓
Promoting self-compassion meditation with intranasal oxytocin in borderline personality disorder: a pilot study.
Psychiatry Res · 2026
Hormonal dimorphism in sarcopenia disease.
Aging (Albany NY) · 2026
Metal- and Redox-Dependent Oxytocin Species Differentially Regulate Invasion and Migration in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.
ACS Chem Biol · 2026
Promoting self-compassion meditation with intranasal oxytocin in borderline personality disorder: a pilot study.
Psychiatry Res · 2026
Hormonal dimorphism in sarcopenia disease.
Aging (Albany NY) · 2026
Oxytocin attenuates respiratory depression and reduces mortality from fentanyl and the combination of xylazine-fentanyl in rats.
Biomed Pharmacother · 2026
# Research Summary Research found that oxytocin improved survival and restored respiratory function in rats experiencing opioid-induced respiratory depression from fentanyl alone and from the combination of fentanyl and xylazine. This study demonstrated that oxytocin's effects were significantly greater than naloxone's recovery in the fentanyl-xylazine combination, suggesting oxytocin as a promising therapeutic target for opioid-related respiratory depression, particularly in cases where naloxone is only partially effective.
Pituitary Neurolobectomy induces sustained hypotension in male Wistar rats and normalizes blood pressure in male spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Physiol Rep · 2026
# Summary This study demonstrated that removal of the neurointermediate pituitary lobe—which caused sustained deficiency of both vasopressin and oxytocin—produced sustained blood pressure reduction in normal rats and normalized elevated blood pressure in hypertensive rats. These findings indicate that vasopressin plays a critical role in regulating blood pressure under both normal and hypertensive conditions.
Optical insights into spatial precision and release heterogeneity of neuromodulatory transmission.
iScience · 2026
# Summary Research found that oxytocin and other neuromodulatory transmitters exhibit spatially precise, heterogeneous release patterns at the synapse, rather than the previously assumed slow and diffuse transmission. This study demonstrated that advanced optical imaging techniques can now measure neuromodulator release with near single-synapse resolution, revealing striking variability in release properties across different neuronal types and compartments that may explain how a single transmitter can mediate distinct physiological and behavioral functions.
Metal- and Redox-Dependent Oxytocin Species Differentially Regulate Invasion and Migration in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.
ACS Chem Biol · 2026
Hormonal dimorphism in sarcopenia disease.
Aging (Albany NY) · 2026
Oxytocin and postpartum depression: A systematic review
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2020
Systematic review found synthetic-oxytocin/PPD relationship inconclusive.
Oxytocin increases attention to the eyes and selectively enhances self-reported affective empathy for fear
Neuropsychologia · 2017
Research in a double-blind randomized crossover trial found that intranasal oxytocin 24 IU increased time spent fixating on the eye region of faces across emotional contexts and selectively enhanced self-reported affective empathy for fearful expressions, supporting a role for oxytocin in social attention and emotional processing.
Randomised, double blind trial of oxytocin nasal spray in mothers expressing breast milk for preterm infants
Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed · 2006
Intranasal oxytocin showed no significant benefit over placebo for milk output.
Oxytocin Side Effects & Safety Considerations
Research-use compound with limited human data. Evidence strength varies — see the Evidence section.
Reported (unverified — pending clinical review)
No established clinical contraindications
Common monitoring markers in research protocols
Under clinical review
Being verified by our medical team before we display monitoring guidance for this peptide.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any health decisions. This information is educational only and does not constitute medical advice.
Known Interactions
1 notedResearch suggests PT-141 and Oxytocin may produce complementary sexual health effects when combined. PT-141 activates central melanocortin receptors involved in arousal signaling, while oxytocin modulates bonding, reward, and peripheral reproductive pathways.
Pfaus JG et al. (2007) The biology and psychology of sexual arousal. J Sex Med; Carmichael MS et al. (1987) Plasma oxytocin increases in the human sexual response. J Clin Endocrinol Metab
These interactions reflect published research and are provided for educational purposes only. This is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before combining any compounds or medications.
Compare
VSOxytocin
Third-party testing data
Limited testing data (1 verified result)
We only show a verified-testing signal once at least 3 independent lab results are on file. Below that, we show what we have without implying a confidence signal.
PeptideBase provides educational research tools and provider discovery. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, prescribing guidance, or dosing instructions. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.
Certificates of Analysis
- Vendor-publishedBlank Peptides
Oxytocin · Lot B-1340958-E · May 27, 2026
- VerifiedLimitless Peptides
Oxytocin · Feb 5, 2026 · View source COA
99.2%
Purity
- Vendor-publishedNationwide Peptides
Oxytocin 2mg · Jan 26, 2026 · View source COA
99.3%
Purity
PeptideBase reports these lab-published figures and does not itself test, endorse, or certify any product. Verified results come from an independent third-party lab database lookup. Vendor-published results are reported by the vendor itself and have not been independently verified by PeptideBase or a third-party lab.
PeptideBase provides educational research tools and provider discovery. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, prescribing guidance, or dosing instructions. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions — Oxytocin
Oxytocin is an endogenous hypothalamic nonapeptide and FDA-approved prescription medication (Pitocin) indicated for initiation and augmentation of labor, management of postpartum uterine atony and hemorrhage, and stimulation of milk letdown in breastfeeding women, acting through peripheral oxytocin receptors in the uterus and mammary gland. Beyond its obstetric and lactation roles, oxytocin functions centrally as a neuromodulator in limbic and cortical circuits involved in social recognition, attachment, trust behavior, and fear regulation, with broadly distributed brain oxytocin receptors mediating effects distinct from its peripheral reproductive actions.
prosocial and trust behavior — landmark RCT evidence in humans, social recognition, attachment, and fear circuit modulation, FDA-approved obstetric use (Pitocin) — labor initiation and postpartum hemorrhage, investigational intranasal 20–40 IU protocols for ASD, PTSD, and social anxiety research.
Research on Oxytocin primarily documents effects related to prosocial and trust behavior — landmark RCT evidence in humans and social recognition, attachment, and fear circuit modulation and FDA-approved obstetric use (Pitocin) — labor initiation and postpartum hemorrhage and investigational intranasal 20–40 IU protocols for ASD, PTSD, and social anxiety research. These are areas covered in preclinical and clinical literature — individual response varies and effects depend on context of use.
Reported contraindications and considerations for Oxytocin include cardiovascular disease, hyponatremia risk. This is educational information only — consult a qualified healthcare professional before use.
For Oxytocin, its FDA status is FDA-approved, and it is available by prescription. Regulatory status reflects publicly available information and may change. This is not legal or medical advice.
50 providers in the directory currently offer Oxytocin.
Across 23 research vendors tracked on PeptideBase, Oxytocin has a median price of about $6.00 per mg, typically ranging $4.25–$12.98 per mg. This reflects research-use vendor pricing, not clinical or prescription costs.
Reviews established supervised obstetric use of oxytocin for labor induction/augmentation.
How to get Oxytocin
Market Pricing
23 vendorsPrice per mg varies by quantity, vendor type, and formulation. Research use only.
Data verified July 2026 · Oxytocin price intelligence
Where to buy Oxytocin
50 providersTelehealth Platforms
1 providerClinics
7 providersAdvanced Age Management
Sharon Center, United StatesView →Aesura Health
Hackensack, United StatesView →Aura Vida Health & Wellness
Park City, United StatesView →Center for Advanced Urology
Salem, United StatesView →Combat Medic Wellness
Mesa, United StatesView →Elevera Health
Leesburg, United StatesView →Mind Body Reset Functional Medicine
Albuquerque, United StatesView →
Compounding Pharmacies (503A)
2 providersQuestions to ask your provider
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Cite this page
Data last updated July 20, 2026
Free to reference and republish with attribution to PeptideBase. Choose a format:
PeptideBase. (2026). Oxytocin — Per-mg Price Benchmark. Retrieved July 22, 2026, from https://peptidebase.io/peptides/oxytocin