Nacartocin is synthetic oxytocin analogue patented by Ceskoslovenska Akademie as a specific natriuretic agent. The natriuretic effect is mainly due to the inhibitory action of the peptide on tubular sodium resorption. Nacartocin decreased the blood pressure of anesthetized rats by the decrease of the total peripheral resistance which was greater than that observed after oxytocin administration.

Cargutocin is an uterotonic. It is Oxytocin analog and it targets oxytocin receptor. Oxytocic activity in pregnant rats and rabbits was weak in comparison with oxytocin.

Atosiban (brand name Tractocile) is a competitive antagonist of human oxytocin at receptor level. In rats and guinea pigs, atosiban was shown to bind to oxytocin receptors, to decrease the frequency of contractions and the tone of the uterine musculature, resulting in a suppression of uterine contractions. Atosiban was also shown to bind to the vasopressin receptor, thus inhibiting the effect of vasopressin. Tractocile is indicated to delay imminent pre-term birth in pregnant adult women with: − regular uterine contractions of at least 30 seconds duration at a rate of ≥ 4 per 30 minutes − a cervical dilation of 1 to 3 cm (0-3 for nulliparas) and effacement of ≥ 50% − a gestational age from 24 until 33 completed weeks − a normal foetal heart rate. Atosiban does not have U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for use in the United States.

Carbetocin is a synthetic analogue of human peptide hormone, oxytocin. Like oxytocin, it stimulate oxytocin receptors and is used to facilitate childbirth. The drug is being marketed in Europe under the name Pabal for the prevention of uterine atony following delivery of the infant by Caesarean section. If untreated by carbetocin, uterine atony may lead to postpartum haemorrhage.

Demoxytocin is a synthetic analog of a peptide hormone oxytocin. The drug possesses higher oxytocin and lower vasopressin activity than oxytocin and is not broken down by leucylaminopeptidase or serum oxytocinase. Demoxytocin is administered as a buccal tablet formulation and is used for the induction of labor in overdue pregnancies, to prevent and treat puerperal mastitis and to promote lactation.

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.