More than a century ago, Sir Henry Dale demonstrated that a component of the pituitary causes contractions of the mammalian uterus, hence his coining the term “oxytocic,” derived from the Greek for “quick birth,” for its activity. The discovery that a component of the pituitary causes milk secretion followed within a few years. By 1930, oxytocin was separated from vasopressin into pitocin and pitressin, respectively, at Parke Davis and made available for research. That a single peptide was responsible for these uterine and mammary actions was definitively confirmed upon the sequencing and synthesis of the peptide, 9 amino acids in length. Vincent du Vigneaud was awarded a Nobel Prize for this work. Oxytocin is indicated for the initiation or improvement of uterine contractions, where this is desirable and considered suitable for reasons of fetal or maternal concern, in order to achieve vaginal delivery. Oxytocin is indicated to produce uterine contractions during the third stage of labor and to control postpartum bleeding or hemorrhage. Uterine motility depends on the formation of the contractile protein actomyosin under the influence of the Ca2+- dependent phosphorylating enzyme myosin light-chain kinase. Oxytocin promotes contractions by increasing the intracellular Ca2+. Oxytocin has specific receptors in the myometrium and the receptor concentration increases greatly during pregnancy, reaching a maximum in early labor at term. The Oxytocin receptor is a typical class I G protein-coupled receptor that is primarily coupled via G(q) proteins to phospholipase C-beta. The high-affinity receptor state requires both Mg(2+) and cholesterol, which probably function as allosteric modulators. The agonist-binding region of the receptor has been characterized by mutagenesis and molecular modeling and is different from the antagonist binding site. The function and physiological regulation of the Oxytocin system is strongly steroid dependent.

Insulin Pork is Insulin isolated from pig pancreas. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the beta cells of the pancreas to help move glucose from the blood into body cells for energy. People with Type 1 diabetes lose the ability to produce insulin and must inject it. In the past, all commercially available insulin came from the pancreases of cows or pigs. Pork and beef insulins are similar to human insulin, differing only in one or a few amino acids. However, even a slight difference is enough to elicit an allergic response in some people. To overcome this problem, researchers looked for ways to make insulin that would more closely resemble human insulin.

Polysorbate 80 is a nonionic surfactant and emulsifier often used in foods and cosmetics. Polysorbate 80 is an excipient that is used to stabilize aqueous formulations of medications for parenteral administration, and used as an emulsifier in the manufacture of the popular antiarrhythmic amiodarone. Polysorbate 80 is also used as an excipient in some European and Canadian influenza vaccines. Influenza vaccines contain 25 μg of polysorbate 80 per dose. Polysorbate 80 is also used in the culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Middlebrook 7H9 broth. It is also used as an emulsifier in the estrogen-regulating drug Estrasorb. In Europe and America, people eat about 100 mg of polysorbate 80 in foods per day on average. Polysorbate 80 has not been found to be carcinogenic. Rats fed with diets containing up to 5% polysorbate 80 by volume for 12 weeks showed no toxic effects.

Nonoxynol-9, is an organic compound that is used as a surfactant and vaginal spermicide used for contraception in spermicidal creams, jellies, foams, gel, and lubricants. It is also used in conjuction with other methods of contraception, including condoms, cervical caps and diaphragms. Nonoxynol-9 interacts with the lipids in the membranes of the acrosome and the midpiece of the sperm. The sperm membranes are lysed; the acrosome, neck and midpiece of the spermatozoa are loosened and then detached which results in their immobilization and death. Nonoxynol-9 offers no protection against sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia and does not prevent HIV infection and may even favour infection if used frequently. A possible reason, is that nonoxynol-9 can disrupt the epithelium, or wall, of the vagina, thereby potentially facilitating invasion by an infective organism and virus. Nonoxynol-9 and related compounds are ingredients in various cleaning and cosmetic products.