Oxytocin is a nine-amino-acid cyclic neuropeptide produced in the hypothalamus, with a disulfide bridge between positions 1 and 6. It is an agonist at the oxytocin receptor, a G-protein coupled receptor. Supplied as lyophilised powder for laboratory research.

What is its plasma half-life?

Roughly one to six minutes in plasma. The short half-life reflects rapid enzymatic degradation by oxytocinase and renal clearance.

How is purity verified?

Each batch ships with a certificate of analysis reporting purity by HPLC and identity by mass spectrometry, available on request.

How should the vial be stored?

Lyophilised at -20 degrees Celsius, protected from light; reconstituted at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw of the solution.

Oxytocin

Name: Oxytocin
Brand: Milo-Lab
Availability: InStock

Oxytocin is a 9-amino-acid hypothalamic neuropeptide and oxytocin-receptor agonist studied for social bonding, trust, stress reduction and prosocial behaviour.

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1 vial · 2 mg total

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฿1100

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For research & laboratory use only. Not for human consumption.

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Half-Life

~1-6 minutes (plasma); central effects longer

Trust & Bonding Hormone

"Love hormone" mediates social attachment and trust

Autonomic Models

Parasympathetic activity and cortisol markers in models

Social Cognition Research

Studied in emotion-recognition paradigms

Mechanism of Action

Oxytocin is a nine-amino-acid cyclic neuropeptide (Cys-Tyr-Ile-Gln-Asn-Cys-Pro-Leu-Gly) with a disulfide bridge between the two cysteine residues, produced in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus. It is an agonist at the oxytocin receptor, a Gq-coupled G-protein coupled receptor signalling through phospholipase C and intracellular calcium. Peripheral oxytocin crosses the blood-brain barrier poorly, which is why central and peripheral compartments are studied separately.

Scientific Research

Intranasal oxytocin increases trust in humans

Nature (2005)

Oxytocin reduces amygdala responses to social threats

Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (2011)

Intranasal oxytocin in autism spectrum disorders: RCT

Mol Autism (2013)

Oxytocin Receptor Distribution and Function

The oxytocin receptor (OTR) is a Gq-coupled GPCR expressed in:

Limbic system:

Amygdala (basolateral, central nuclei) - fear and threat processing
Hippocampus - social memory formation
Nucleus accumbens - social reward

Hypothalamus:

PVN (autoreceptor function)
Lateral hypothalamus - receptor expression

Brainstem:

Locus coeruleus - stress response modulation
Dorsal raphe - serotonin interaction

OTR activation in the amygdala reduces threat-responsive neuronal firing, which manifests behaviourally as reduced social anxiety and enhanced prosocial motivation.

The 2005 Nature Study and Its Context

The Kosfeld et al. paper demonstrating that intranasal oxytocin increases trust in economic games made oxytocin famous as the “trust hormone.” However, the subsequent decade of research produced a more nuanced picture:

Trust enhancement is strongest for in-group/similar social targets
Context dependency: oxytocin can increase both trust and vigilance depending on social context
Individual differences in OTR polymorphisms (rs53576) predict response
Baseline peripheral oxytocin predicts social cognition in both typical and ASD populations

Autism Research Status

The most rigorous meta-analyses of intranasal oxytocin in ASD (as of 2023) show:

Positive: Some improvement in social cognition tasks in laboratory settings
Inconsistent: Mixed results across RCTs for real-world social function
Active question: Whether dose, duration (acute vs chronic), or participant selection drives variability
Consensus: More targeted studies with biomarker-defined subgroups are needed

Storage

Reconstitution: use bacteriostatic water; swirl gently until dissolved, do not shake. Protect from light. After reconstitution: keep refrigerated and use within 2-3 weeks.

For research purposes only. Not for human consumption.