At a glance
Type
Cyclic nonapeptide hormone
Molecular weight
≈1007.19 g/mol
Studied for
Social bondingEmotionUterine / lactation
Oxytocin is a nine-amino-acid hormone made in the hypothalamus — famous as the “bonding” hormone. Beyond its established roles in childbirth and lactation, it is widely studied (often intranasally) for social and emotional effects.
How oxytocin works
Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and released from the posterior pituitary. It acts on the oxytocin receptor, a G-protein-coupled receptor that raises intracellular calcium and drives smooth-muscle effects like uterine contraction and the milk-ejection reflex. In the brain, it modulates social behaviours — bonding, trust and emotion processing — which is why intranasal oxytocin has been studied for social and emotional outcomes.
What the research shows
- Trust (Kosfeld et al., Nature 2005). A landmark trust-game study reported that intranasal oxytocin increased interpersonal trust.
- Critical review (Nave et al., 2015). A careful review concluded the intranasal-oxytocin/trust link has not replicated robustly.
- Social cognition (Leppanen et al., 2017). A meta-analysis examined intranasal oxytocin’s effects on social-emotional processing.
Candour: oxytocin’s obstetric roles are well established, but the intranasal social-behaviour findings (trust, emotion recognition, bonding) are mixed and replication-challenged — several landmark effects have failed to reproduce in larger samples. Use belongs under a physician’s guidance.
Molecular specification
| Type | Cyclic nonapeptide hormone |
| Sequence | Cys-Tyr-Ile-Gln-Asn-Cys-Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2 (S–S bridge) |
| Molecular formula | C43H66N12O12S2 |
| Molecular weight | ≈1007.19 g/mol |
| CAS number | 50-56-6 |
Quality and sourcing
Every batch of Azzurri Wellness oxytocin is compounded through a Registered 503B outsourcing facility under GMP-compliant processes, HPLC-tested for purity and potency, and third-party lab verified. Shipped cold-pack when needed to protect stability.
References
- Kosfeld M, et al. Oxytocin increases trust in humans. Nature. 2005;435(7042):673–676. Nature
- Nave G, Camerer C, McCullough M. Does Oxytocin Increase Trust in Humans? A Critical Review of Research. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2015;10(6):772–789. PubMed
- Leppanen J, et al. Meta-analysis of the effects of intranasal oxytocin on the interpretation and expression of emotions. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2017;78:125–144. PubMed
Compiled by the Azzurri Wellness Research Team and checked against the cited literature. Educational only — not medical advice.
