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Where is Oxytocin being studied?

Find registered human studies, phases, products, recruitment status and reported research locations around the world. Registry search matches are separate from this profile’s reviewed evidence.

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Scientific intelligence record

Experience 2.0

Endogenous neurohypophyseal nonapeptide / uterotonic medicine

Oxytocin

Oxytocin is an endogenous nonapeptide hormone and neurotransmitter synthesized primarily in hypothalamic neurons and released from the posterior pituitary; it also acts locally in reproductive tissues and the central nervous system. By activating the oxytocin receptor, a G-protein-coupled receptor, it promotes uterine smooth-muscle contraction and myoepithelial contraction for milk ejection. Synthetic oxytocin is an established obstetric medicine, while many behavioral and neuropsychiatric applications remain investigational and context-dependent.

Record status

Traceability partial

Last meaningful update: 9/20/2026

Evidence searched through:
Not recorded
Assessment updated:
9/20/2026
Documented human review:
No documented human review recorded
Automated scientific assessment:
None recorded
AI source check:
9/26/2026

Published source links and profile text pass separate gates. Only a documented human review is labelled as human review; an automated scientific assessment applies deterministic checks, and an AI source check confirms only that a source exists and matches its identifiers. A source count alone does not establish a review.

Evidence coverage has three distinct layers. The corpus count is a transparent screening inventory, the featured set contains study-level tiering and interpretation, and the published-source count contains records promoted through the institutional publication workflow. Source validation, editorial publication, and scientific appraisal are separate decisions; these numbers must not be merged.

Ranked research corpus

500

Categorized publications with provisional ranking; scientific review remains separate.

Featured tiered studies

0

Cornerstone publications with study-level interpretation, limitations, and tier disclosure.

Research domains

6

Clinical and scientific questions synthesized independently across the evidence atlas.

Published source records

25

Database records promoted through the governed publication workflow—not the corpus total.

Corpus generated 2026-09-18. Counts remain separately labeled so screening is not represented as completed review.

Human experience · separate evidence stream

No community pattern is displayed yet

Eligible observations remain below the privacy and reliability threshold. WPF will not convert a handful of reports into a percentage, trend, or clinical claim.

Observation is valuable human context. It is not evidence of causation, efficacy, or safety.

Public display gate

n ≥ 20 eligible observations

Exact progress remains private before the threshold.

Contribute an observationArchive details

Intelligence snapshot

The state of the record

A compact view of what is represented, what remains unresolved, and how completely the record can be traced.

Ranked research corpus

500

Categorized screening records; proposed rankings remain pending human appraisal.

Featured tiered studies

0

Cornerstone studies with published study-level interpretation and tier disclosure.

Research domains

6

Independent evidence dossiers covering the major research questions.

Published source records

25

Source records published through the governed workflow; this count does not certify scientific conclusions.

Contradictions

0

Conflicting evidence relationships that remain visible.

Research gaps

1

Questions the current record identifies as unresolved.

Connected media

0

Media records explicitly linked to this scientific record.

What we know

Evidence, claims, and boundaries

The project separates represented evidence from qualification, contradiction, uncertainty, and what the evidence does not establish.

Reconciled domain conclusions

6 published domain syntheses connected to 0 featured studies

Oxytocin no longer relies on the legacy “no public claim” state. Each research domain publishes a bounded synthesis, confidence level, evidence context, limitations, geographic applicability, regulatory interpretation, and research gaps. Publication of these syntheses is separate from the scientific review status shown above.

Inspect the reconciled evidence atlas
Inspect the published evidence record25 governed records · titles, provenance, and original-source linksOpen records ↓
2017Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Working hard for oneself or others: Effects of oxytocin on reward motivation in social anxiety disorder.

There is some evidence to suggest that oxytocin promotes social behavior, especially for disorders characterized by social dysfunction, such as social anxiety disorder (SAD).

Authors
Angela Fang, Michael T Treadway, Stefan G Hofmann
Source
Biological psychology
DOI
10.1016/j.biopsycho.2017.05.015
PubMed
28559206
Open original source
2015Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Oxytocin reduces caloric intake in men.

Preclinical studies indicate that oxytocin is anorexigenic and has beneficial metabolic effects.

Authors
Elizabeth A Lawson, Dean A Marengi, Rebecca L DeSanti, Tara M Holmes, David A Schoenfeld, Christiane J Tolley
Source
Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
DOI
10.1002/oby.21069
PubMed
25865294
Open original source
2018Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Rapid-onset anorectic effects of intranasal oxytocin in young men.

Although the neuropeptide oxytocin exhibits many of the characteristics that would support its use as an anorectic agent for overeaters, studies of oxytocin's effectiveness at reducing eating in humans remain limited.

Authors
Victoria Burmester, Suzanne Higgs, Philip Terry
Source
Appetite
DOI
10.1016/j.appet.2018.08.003
PubMed
30081055
Open original source
2002Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Misoprostol versus low-dose oxytocin for cervical ripening: a prospective, randomized, double-masked trial.

A variety of cervical ripening agents exist, yet none is ideal.

Authors
James E Ferguson, Barbara H Head, Fred H Frank, Margaret L Frank, Jeremy S Singer, Theodor Stefos, Giancarlo Mari
Source
American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
DOI
10.1067/mob.2002.126202
PubMed
12193911
Open original source
2002Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

A randomised controlled trial of intramuscular syntometrine and intravenous oxytocin in the management of the third stage of labour.

To compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous oxytocin with intramuscular syntometrine in the management of the third stage of labour.

Authors
C M Y Choy, W C Lau, W H Tam, P M Yuen
Source
BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
DOI
10.1111/j.1471-0528.2002.01204.x
PubMed
11905429
Open original source
2018Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Intramuscular versus intravenous oxytocin to prevent postpartum haemorrhage at vaginal delivery: randomised controlled trial.

To determine whether intravenous oxytocin is more effective than intramuscular oxytocin at preventing postpartum haemorrhage at vaginal delivery.

Authors
Nita Adnan, Rebecca Conlan-Trant, Ciara McCormick, Fiona Boland, Deirdre J Murphy
Source
BMJ (Clinical research ed.)
DOI
10.1136/bmj.k3546
PubMed
30181338
Open original source
1996Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
70/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Induction of labor compared with expectant management for prelabor rupture of the membranes at term. TERMPROM Study Group.

As the interval between rupture of the fetal membranes at term and delivery increases, so may the risk of fetal and maternal infection.

Authors
M E Hannah, A Ohlsson, D Farine, S A Hewson, E D Hodnett, T L Myhr, E E Wang, J A Weston, A R Willan
Source
The New England journal of medicine
DOI
10.1056/nejm199604183341601
PubMed
8598837
Open original source
2004Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

A double-blinded, randomized controlled trial of oxytocin at the beginning versus the end of the third stage of labor for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage.

The objective of this study was to compare the administration of oxytocin at the beginning and end of the third stage of labor for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage.

Authors
Warner K Huh, David Chelmow, Fergal D Malone
Source
Gynecologic and obstetric investigation
DOI
10.1159/000078095
PubMed
15103233
Open original source
1999Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Randomized, double-masked comparison of oxytocin dosage in induction and augmentation of labor.

To test the hypothesis that high-dose oxytocin, when used in a masked fashion, would result in shorter labors and less need for cesarean delivery.

Authors
D C Merrill, F J Zlatnik
Source
Obstetrics and gynecology
DOI
10.1016/s0029-7844(99)00338-5
PubMed
10472877
Open original source
2007Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Haemodynamic effects of oxytocin given as i.v. bolus or infusion on women undergoing Caesarean section.

The cardiovascular effects of oxytocin in animal models and women undergoing Caesarean section include tachycardia, hypotension and decrease in cardiac output.

Authors
J S Thomas, S H Koh, G M Cooper
Source
British journal of anaesthesia
DOI
10.1093/bja/ael302
PubMed
17142825
Open original source
2011Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Serum oxytocin concentrations in elective caesarean delivery: a randomized comparison of three infusion regimens.

The aim of this study was to determine serum oxytocin concentrations following different regimens of prophylactic oxytocin administration in women undergoing elective caesarean delivery.

Authors
E T Yamaguchi, M M Cardoso, M L Torres, R C Nascimento, M C Ribeiro, E Frerichs, D Payen
Source
International journal of obstetric anesthesia
DOI
10.1016/j.ijoa.2011.03.004
PubMed
21641198
Open original source
2007Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Prospective randomized study of oxytocin discontinuation after the active stage of labor is established.

To investigate the effects of discontinuing oxytocin infusion on labor outcomes once the active stage of labor is established.

Authors
Emin Ustunyurt, Mustafa Ugur, Basak Ozlem Ustunyurt, Tekin Can Iskender, Ovgu Ozkan, Leyla Mollamahmutoglu
Source
The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research
DOI
10.1111/j.1447-0756.2007.00659.x
PubMed
18001445
Open original source
1994Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Induction of labor with pulsatile oxytocin by a computer-controlled pump.

The objective was to test the safety and efficacy of a pulsatile oxytocin infusion protocol in which a computer-controlled pump adjusts the oxytocin dose rate on the basis of uterine activity.

Authors
R J Willcourt, D Pager, J Wendel, R W Hale
Source
American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
DOI
10.1016/s0002-9378(94)70236-5
PubMed
8116721
Open original source
2007Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Intraumbilical vein injection of oxytocin and the third stage of labor: randomized double-blind placebo trial.

The objective of this study was to determine whether intraumbilical injection of oxytocin shortens the third stage of labor.

Authors
Labib M Ghulmiyyah, Salim A Wehbe, Steven L Saltzman, Carol Ehleben, Baha M Sibai
Source
American journal of perinatology
DOI
10.1055/s-2007-981854
PubMed
17564955
Open original source
2019Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Oxytocin infusion reduces bleeding during abdominal myomectomies: a randomized controlled trial.

To evaluate the effectiveness of oxytocin infusion to reduce intraoperative bleeding during abdominal myomectomies.

Authors
Berna Aslan Çetin, Begüm Aydoğan Mathyk, Nadiye Köroğlu, Ali Soydar, Gökhan Demirayak, Tayfur Çift
Source
Archives of gynecology and obstetrics
DOI
10.1007/s00404-018-4944-9
PubMed
30328494
Open original source
1980Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Breast-feeding and plasma oxytocin concentrations.

The patterns of response of oxytocin to a breast feed were studied in 10 mothers in the first week post partum.

Authors
A Lucas, R B Drewett, M D Mitchell
Source
British medical journal
DOI
10.1136/bmj.281.6244.834
PubMed
7191754
Open original source
2003Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Social support and oxytocin interact to suppress cortisol and subjective responses to psychosocial stress.

The presence of social support has been associated with decreased stress responsiveness.

Authors
Markus Heinrichs, Thomas Baumgartner, Clemens Kirschbaum, Ulrike Ehlert
Source
Biological psychiatry
DOI
10.1016/s0006-3223(03)00465-7
PubMed
14675803
Open original source
2019Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Oxytocin increases eye gaze in schizophrenia.

Abnormal eye gaze is common in schizophrenia and linked to functional impairment.

Authors
Ellen R Bradley, Alison Seitz, Andrea N Niles, Katherine P Rankin, Daniel H Mathalon, Aoife O'Donovan, Joshua D Woolley
Source
Schizophrenia research
DOI
10.1016/j.schres.2019.07.039
PubMed
31416746
Open original source
2017Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Restoring effects of oxytocin on the attentional preference for faces in autism.

Reduced attentional preference for faces and symptoms of social anxiety are common in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

Authors
M Kanat, I Spenthof, A Riedel, L T van Elst, M Heinrichs, G Domes
Source
Translational psychiatry
DOI
10.1038/tp.2017.67
PubMed
28418399
Open original source
2025Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Boosting oxytocin in postpartum depression: Intranasal oxytocin enhances maternal positive affect and regard for the infant.

Although oxytocin has been recognized for its affiliative and anxiolytic properties, dysregulation of this system may contribute to the link between depressed mood and insensitive maternal care in mothers with postpartum depression (PPD).

Authors
Madelon M E Riem, Lisa Loheide-Niesmann, Roseriet Beijers, Indira Tendolkar, Peter C Mulders
Source
Psychoneuroendocrinology
DOI
10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107530
PubMed
40614394
Open original source
2024Phase 1–2 human evidence
Evidence strength B · 80/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Chronic oxytocin administration stimulates the oxytocinergic system in children with autism.

Clinical efficacy of intranasal administration of oxytocin is increasingly explored in autism spectrum disorder, but to date, the biological effects of chronic administration regimes on endogenous oxytocinergic function are largely unknown.

Authors
Matthijs Moerkerke, Nicky Daniels, Laura Tibermont, Tiffany Tang, Margaux Evenepoel, Stephanie Van der Donck, Edward Debbaut, Jellina Prinsen, Viktoria Chubar, Stephan Claes, Bart Vanaudenaerde, Lynn Willems
Source
Nature communications
DOI
10.1038/s41467-023-44334-4
PubMed
38167302
Open original source
2025Observational human evidence
Evidence strength A · 88/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Reduced risk of cesarean delivery with oxytocin discontinuation in active labor: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Our objective was to determine if oxytocin discontinuation in the active phase of labor impacts the rate of cesarean delivery compared to continuation of oxytocin.

Authors
Julia Whitley, Julia Burd, Michelle Doering, Jeannie Kelly, Antonina Frolova, Nandini Raghuraman
Source
American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
DOI
10.1016/j.ajog.2025.03.015
PubMed
40113155
Open original source
2017Observational human evidence
Evidence strength A · 88/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Oxytocin and Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Aim: Oxytocin presents an exciting potential to target the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) pharmacologically in an easily administered, cost-effective form with possibly minimal adverse effects.

Authors
Yoon Phaik Ooi, Shih-Jen Weng, Joe Kossowsky, Heike Gerger, Min Sung
Source
Pharmacopsychiatry
DOI
10.1055/s-0042-109400
PubMed
27574858
Open original source
2019Observational human evidence
Evidence strength A · 88/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
85/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Cervical Ripening Using Foley Balloon with or without Oxytocin: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

To assess available evidence regarding the use of oxytocin in conjunction with Foley balloon (FB) for cervical ripening.

Authors
Lauren T Gallagher, Benjamin Gardner, Mahbubur Rahman, Corina Schoen, Katherine A Connolly, Gary D Hankins, George R Saade, Antonio F Saad
Source
American journal of perinatology
DOI
10.1055/s-0038-1668577
PubMed
30130821
Open original source
2025Observational human evidence
Evidence strength A · 88/100 · ProvisionalHow this is rated

This score estimates how strongly this source can support scientific claims. It is not a prestige score, and the grade does not transfer automatically to every claim that cites the source.

Grade guide: A+/A is the strongest represented support; B+/B is substantial but qualified; C is limited, indirect, observational, or preclinical; D/E is weak, mechanistic-only, anecdotal, or insufficient.

Directness
70/100
Replication
70/100

Provisional ratings are automated baselines from structured metadata. They are not completed full-text risk-of-bias reviews and may change after editorial assessment.

Methodology: WPF-ESR-1.0

Uterotonic agents for preventing postpartum haemorrhage: a network meta-analysis.

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide.

Authors
Ioannis D Gallos, Idnan Yunas, Adam J Devall, Marcelina Podesek, Aurelio Tobias, Malcolm J Price, Olufemi T Oladapo, Arri Coomarasamy
Source
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews
DOI
10.1002/14651858.cd011689.pub4
PubMed
40237648
Open original source

Scientific context

Chemistry and represented biological context

Existing reviewed chemistry is preserved as scientific context. Chemistry and mechanism information do not establish clinical efficacy or safety.

Open chemistry and biological context ↓
Chemical identity

Molecular and structural record

Structured record
Molecular formula
C43H66N12O12S2
Molecular weight (Da)
1007.2
Amino acid sequence
CYIQNCPLG-NH2; Cys1-Cys6 disulfide
SMILES
CC[C@H](C)[C@H]1C(=O)N[C@H](C(=O)N[C@H](C(=O)N[C@@H](CSSC[C@@H](C(=O)N[C@H](C(=O)N1)CC2=CC=C(C=C2)O)N)C(=O)N3CCC[C@H]3C(=O)N[C@@H](CC(C)C)C(=O)NCC(=O)N)CC(=O)N)CCC(=O)N
InChI
InChI=1S/C43H66N12O12S2/c1-5-22(4)35-42(66)49-26(12-13-32(45)57)38(62)51-29(17-33(46)58)39(63)53-30(20-69-68-19-25(44)36(60)50-28(40(64)54-35)16-23-8-10-24(56)11-9-23)43(67)55-14-6-7-31(55)41(65)52-27(15-21(2)3)37(61)48-18-34(47)59/h8-11,21-22,25-31,35,56H,5-7,12-20,44H2,1-4H3,(H2,45,57)(H2,46,58)(H2,47,59)(H,48,61)(H,49,66)(H,50,60)(H,51,62)(H,52,65)(H,53,63)(H,54,64)/t22-,25-,26-,27-,28-,29-,30-,31-,35-/m0/s1
InChIKey
XNOPRXBHLZRZKH-DSZYJQQASA-N

Chemical identity describes the recorded molecular information. It does not establish biological activity, clinical efficacy, safety, or therapeutic suitability.

Explore further

Continue through the research system

Move from this peptide record into the project's broader evidence, research, comparison, and methodology systems.

Research discovery

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Examine represented peptide records side by side.

Evidence system

Explore how scientific evidence is represented and reviewed.

Research hub

Enter the broader research and intelligence environment.

Methodology

Review project methods, boundaries, and interpretation rules.

Research

How the scientific record is developing

Chronology, unresolved research questions, opportunities, and researcher activity remain descriptive rather than evaluative.

Research chronology

  1. 1980 · study · Temporal status not established

    Breast-feeding and plasma oxytocin concentrations.

    British medical journal

  2. 1994 · study · Temporal status not established

    Induction of labor with pulsatile oxytocin by a computer-controlled pump.

    American journal of obstetrics and gynecology

  3. 1996 · study · Temporal status not established

    Induction of labor compared with expectant management for prelabor rupture of the membranes at term. TERMPROM Study Group.

    The New England journal of medicine

  4. 1999 · study · Temporal status not established

    Randomized, double-masked comparison of oxytocin dosage in induction and augmentation of labor.

    Obstetrics and gynecology

  5. 2002 · study · Temporal status not established

    Misoprostol versus low-dose oxytocin for cervical ripening: a prospective, randomized, double-masked trial.

    American journal of obstetrics and gynecology

  6. 2002 · study · Temporal status not established

    A randomised controlled trial of intramuscular syntometrine and intravenous oxytocin in the management of the third stage of labour.

    BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology

  7. 2003 · study · Temporal status not established

    Social support and oxytocin interact to suppress cortisol and subjective responses to psychosocial stress.

    Biological psychiatry

  8. 2004 · study · Temporal status not established

    A double-blinded, randomized controlled trial of oxytocin at the beginning versus the end of the third stage of labor for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage.

    Gynecologic and obstetric investigation

  9. 2007 · study · Temporal status not established

    Haemodynamic effects of oxytocin given as i.v. bolus or infusion on women undergoing Caesarean section.

    British journal of anaesthesia

  10. 2007 · study · Temporal status not established

    Prospective randomized study of oxytocin discontinuation after the active stage of labor is established.

    The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research

  11. 2007 · study · Temporal status not established

    Intraumbilical vein injection of oxytocin and the third stage of labor: randomized double-blind placebo trial.

    American journal of perinatology

  12. 2011 · study · Temporal status not established

    Serum oxytocin concentrations in elective caesarean delivery: a randomized comparison of three infusion regimens.

    International journal of obstetric anesthesia

  13. 2015 · study · Temporal status not established

    Oxytocin reduces caloric intake in men.

    Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)

  14. 2017 · study · Temporal status not established

    Working hard for oneself or others: Effects of oxytocin on reward motivation in social anxiety disorder.

    Biological psychology

  15. 2017 · study · Temporal status not established

    Restoring effects of oxytocin on the attentional preference for faces in autism.

    Translational psychiatry

  16. 2017 · study · Temporal status not established

    Oxytocin and Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

    Pharmacopsychiatry

  17. 2018 · study · Temporal status not established

    Rapid-onset anorectic effects of intranasal oxytocin in young men.

    Appetite

  18. 2018 · study · Temporal status not established

    Intramuscular versus intravenous oxytocin to prevent postpartum haemorrhage at vaginal delivery: randomised controlled trial.

    BMJ (Clinical research ed.)

  19. 2019 · study · Temporal status not established

    Oxytocin infusion reduces bleeding during abdominal myomectomies: a randomized controlled trial.

    Archives of gynecology and obstetrics

  20. 2019 · study · Temporal status not established

    Oxytocin increases eye gaze in schizophrenia.

    Schizophrenia research

  21. 2019 · study · Temporal status not established

    Cervical Ripening Using Foley Balloon with or without Oxytocin: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    American journal of perinatology

  22. 2024 · study · Temporal status not established

    Chronic oxytocin administration stimulates the oxytocinergic system in children with autism.

    Nature communications

  23. 2025 · study · Temporal status not established

    Boosting oxytocin in postpartum depression: Intranasal oxytocin enhances maternal positive affect and regard for the infant.

    Psychoneuroendocrinology

  24. 2025 · study · Temporal status not established

    Reduced risk of cesarean delivery with oxytocin discontinuation in active labor: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    American journal of obstetrics and gynecology

  25. 2025 · study · Temporal status not established

    Uterotonic agents for preventing postpartum haemorrhage: a network meta-analysis.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews

  26. 2026 · regulatory · Temporal status not established

    Regulatory review: approved

    United States (FDA — OXYTOCIN injection)

  27. 2026 · regulatory · Temporal status not established

    Regulatory review: approved

    United States (FDA — PITOCIN)

The represented chronology reflects records currently included in the governed dataset and does not claim to represent the entire scientific literature.

What still needs investigation

Claim traceability

No institutional claim record is currently represented for this peptide.

Evidence is missing or not represented as studied; this is not a conclusion that the intervention does not work.

Researchers represented in the evidence record12 bibliographic identities · open to inspect

These are bibliographic author identities derived from represented records. Name strings are not proof of unique real-world researcher identity, and publishing organizations are not treated as institutional affiliations.

A Lucas

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 1980

Publishing organizations appearing in records: British medical journal

A Ohlsson

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 1996

Publishing organizations appearing in records: The New England journal of medicine

A R Willan

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 1996

Publishing organizations appearing in records: The New England journal of medicine

A Riedel

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 2017

Publishing organizations appearing in records: Translational psychiatry

Adam J Devall

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 2025

Publishing organizations appearing in records: The Cochrane database of systematic reviews

Ali Soydar

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 2019

Publishing organizations appearing in records: Archives of gynecology and obstetrics

Alison Seitz

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 2019

Publishing organizations appearing in records: Schizophrenia research

Andrea N Niles

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 2019

Publishing organizations appearing in records: Schizophrenia research

Angela Fang

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 2017

Publishing organizations appearing in records: Biological psychology

Antonina Frolova

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 2025

Publishing organizations appearing in records: American journal of obstetrics and gynecology

Antonio F Saad

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 2019

Publishing organizations appearing in records: American journal of perinatology

Aoife O'Donovan

1 represented evidence record

Years represented: 2019

Publishing organizations appearing in records: Schizophrenia research

Connections

Follow the scientific relationships

Connections appear only when they are represented by the project’s underlying records.

Open 12 represented connections ↓

institution

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology

represented evidence source

institution

American journal of perinatology

represented evidence source

institution

Biological psychology

represented evidence source

institution

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)

represented evidence source

institution

Appetite

represented evidence source

institution

BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology

represented evidence source

institution

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)

represented evidence source

institution

The New England journal of medicine

represented evidence source

institution

Gynecologic and obstetric investigation

represented evidence source

institution

Obstetrics and gynecology

represented evidence source

institution

British journal of anaesthesia

represented evidence source

institution

International journal of obstetric anesthesia

represented evidence source

Traceability

Follow the record back to its source

The experience makes incomplete links visible instead of presenting a false impression of perfect provenance.

Source publication state

A governed source may be verified and approved for publication while its claim-to-evidence link is still incomplete.

Reviewer provenance state

“Human scientist reviewed: no” means that specific source-path attribution is not recorded. It does not silently negate the separate publication-review state.

Domain conclusion → Evidence

Connected

Evidence → Source

Connected

Source → Original record

Connected

Traceability documents how the project connects statements to records. It does not establish that a source is scientifically valid or that a claim is clinically true.

Reconciled for 6 domain conclusions and 0 featured studies.

Detailed study-to-domain mappings and original-source paths appear in the Oxytocin evidence-governance section.

Inspect the ranked source records

Observational archive

What contributors reported

Observational archive data is intentionally separated from published scientific evidence.

Observational boundary

Insufficient eligible observations are available for display under the current filters.

Insufficient eligible observations are currently represented to display aggregated findings for this peptide.

Regulatory context

Published jurisdictional records

Regulatory status is jurisdiction-specific and time-dependent. It is presented as context, not as a recommendation for use or a substitute for scientific evidence evaluation.

Research + media

Media connected to this scientific record

Only media explicitly linked through the project’s relationship system appears here.

No scientifically connected media is currently represented for this peptide.

Sources + provenance

Read the scientific record with its boundaries intact

The public record organizes reviewed evidence; it does not establish scientific truth by itself.
Association, mechanism, observation and regulatory status must not be represented as proof of clinical efficacy or safety.
Observational reports describe contributor experiences and cannot establish causation, effectiveness, safety or clinical benefit.
Contradictory and qualifying evidence must remain visible rather than being silently discarded.
Absence of represented evidence is not evidence that research does not exist.
Research gaps identify unresolved questions; they are not negative conclusions.
Regulatory status is distinct from scientific evidence quality.
Media relationships provide context and explanation; they do not increase the strength of scientific evidence.
A section with no represented records is an incomplete project record, not a scientific conclusion.
Researcher and institutional relationships are shown only when supported by represented records and must not be interpreted as rankings or endorsements.

Generated: 11/8/2026, 5:24:50 PM

global evidence atlas

Oxytocin research, ranked and separated by purpose

This is a deduplicated literature screening registry—not a claim that every mention directly proves efficacy or safety. Machine proposals remain visibly separate from governed human appraisal.

723Discoverable source universe
500Ranked screening records
6Research domains
0Accountably approved conclusions

500 matching records · ranked 2026-09-18

Page 1 of 20

#25Proposed tier Unassignedcontextual unclassifiedAwaiting human appraisal

Anatomy, Neurohypophysis

Europe PMC · 2026 · PMID 32809568

contextual-unclassified

Count reconciliation: 723 discoverable source records match the peptide identity query; 500 are retained in this bounded, ranked screening view; 0 belong to the separate governed layer labeled “Accountably approved conclusions.” Domain totals overlap because one publication may inform several questions.

governance and regulatory context

Oxytocin: what this atlas does and does not establish

Last checked
2026-09-18
Accountable publication approval
Not yet approved by a named accountable reviewer. Machine screening only.

No new outcome conclusion is inferred from discovery metadata. Named accountable approval is required for governed scientific conclusions.

Regulatory status by jurisdiction

Absence of a record in this pass is not proof that no authorization exists. Status must remain jurisdiction-, product-, formulation-, and date-specific.

  • United States (FDA — OXYTOCIN injection)approvedchecked 2026-09-10

    Oxytocin injection under NDA 018248 is FDA-approved as a prescription injectable product for its labeled obstetric uses and strengths.

    FDA Drugs@FDA — OXYTOCIN NDA 018248
  • United States (FDA — PITOCIN)approvedchecked 2026-09-10

    PITOCIN oxytocin injection is FDA-approved for labeled obstetric uses, including medically indicated initiation or improvement of uterine contractions and control of postpartum uterine bleeding, subject to current labeling.

    FDA Drugs@FDA — PITOCIN NDA 018261

5 FDA structured product label record(s) were identified for this compound name in openFDA. Label presence reflects an approved product exists under that name; it is not a claim about the specific formulation, dose, or use being discussed anywhere else on this page.

No machine-proposed evidence-strength grades exist yet for this compound; all screening records are unassigned pending further review.

Oxytocin evidence · ranking key

How evidence is ranked

A tier describes the evidentiary role and design strength of a source. It is not a popularity score, proof that every conclusion is correct, or a substitute for claim-level review.

A

Practice-defining evidence

Large, well-conducted randomized trials; prespecified major outcomes; rigorous systematic reviews or meta-analyses; and major regulatory assessments.

B

Strong supporting evidence

Smaller randomized trials, strong prospective cohorts, prespecified secondary analyses, and high-quality comparative-effectiveness studies.

C

Contextual evidence

Retrospective cohorts, claims-database studies, pharmacovigilance analyses, mechanistic human research, and well-documented case series.

D

Signal-generating evidence

Case reports, conference abstracts, preclinical research, hypothesis-generating analyses, and expert commentary.

Tier and confidence answer different questions

Tier classifies source design and evidentiary role. Confidence reflects risk of bias, sample size, comparator quality, outcome relevance, follow-up, missing data, directness, replication, reporting quality, and whether conclusions stay within the measured results.

Funding and conflicts are disclosed and considered, but sponsorship never automatically changes a tier. Corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern override the original rating.

peptide explorer

Structural visualization and provenance

Evidence-class labeling remains visible even when interactive rendering is unavailable. Representative geometry is not an experimentally determined or predicted biological conformation.

Fully specified molecular identity

Molecular formula
C43H66N12O12S2
Molecular weight
1007.2 g/mol
Exact identity / sequence notation
H-Cys-Tyr-Ile-Gln-Asn-Cys-Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2; Cys1–Cys6 disulfide
Identity-defining modifications
  • Intramolecular Cys1–Cys6 disulfide
  • C-terminal glycinamide
PubChem CID
439302
InChIKey
Not applicable / not verified

The exact cyclic nonapeptide identity is shown; residue-order visualization is not an experimental conformation.

Sources: NIH PubChem — Oxytocin · reviewed 2026-09-17

Representative sequence-derived model
Structure source
Generated from this record's governed amino-acid sequence
Identifier
Not applicable — not a database structure
Method
Schematic layout ordered by residue position only; not a molecular-dynamics, homology, or fold prediction
Confidence / limitations
Illustrative only. Not physically accurate; carries no structural, binding-site, or activity meaning.
Provenance
WPF governed PeptideChemistry record
Retrieved / last reviewed
2026-09-17

This is a representative, sequence-derived model ordered by residue position only. It is not the peptide's experimentally determined or predicted biological conformation, and it carries no claim about real bond angles, distances, secondary structure, binding sites, or activity.

Suggested citation

  • APA

    World Peptide Foundation. (n.d.). Oxytocin — Peptide Scientific Intelligence. World Peptide Foundation. (Updated September 20, 2026.) https://www.worldpeptidefoundation.org/directory/oxytocin

  • AMA / Vancouver

    World Peptide Foundation. Oxytocin — Peptide Scientific Intelligence. World Peptide Foundation website. Updated September 20, 2026. https://www.worldpeptidefoundation.org/directory/oxytocin