A new tocolytic agent: development of an oxytocin antagonist for inhibiting uterine contractions.
A potent oxytocin antagonist has been developed and tested on both the rat and human uterus. In the rat the oxytocin antagonist: (1) inhibited in vitro and in vivo uterine contractions in the nonpregnant animal in response to exogenous oxytocin, (2) inhibited milk letdown, and (3) disrupted the progress of labor. In addition, the oxytocin antagonist inhibited the in vitro contractile response to exogenous oxytocin of human myometrial tissue obtained by cesarean section at term. The results of these studies suggest that the oxytocin antagonist can be used to study the role of oxytocin in labor and has the potential of inhibiting preterm labor in humans.
Wilson
L
L
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois, College of Medicine, Chicago 60612.
Parsons
M T
MT
Ouano
L
L
Flouret
G
G
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000187:drug effects; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects; D009215:Myometrium / Q000032:analysis; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000032:analysis / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015149:Tocolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000032:analysis
D015149:Tocolytic Agents; D014667:Vasopressins; D010121:Oxytocin