Oxytocin and milk ejection

Abstract

1.1. Oxytocin isolated from the posterior pituitary gland free of any detectable amount of vasopressin and by available physical and chemical criteria essentially a pure chemical compound has milk-ejection activity in recently parturient women who have milk in their breasts.2.2. A synthetic octapeptide amide, in so far as has been tested, indistinguishable from naturally occurring oxytocin in other properties, has milk-ejection activity in similar puerperal women indistinguishable from the naturally occurring oxytocin, thus affording conclusive proof that oxytocin has both oxytocic and milk-ejection activities inherent in its molecular structure.3.3. Milk ejection occurs consistently in these women when approximately 0.5 unit of oxytocin is administered intravenously, or when 2 units of oxytocin are administered intramuscularly.