Effect of oxytocin on myoepithelium of the breast
- 1 May 1962
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physiological Society in Journal of Applied Physiology
- Vol. 17 (3), 539-542
- https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1962.17.3.539
Abstract
A laboratory study was made of the response of the myoepithelium of the postpartum human breast to synthetic oxytocin, comparing the effects of intranasal and intravenous administration. A clinical study was also undertaken to assess the effects of intranasal oxytocin on breast engorgement. Intramammary pressure was obtained directly through a polyethylene catheter placed in the mammary duct and connected to a pressure transducer and Poly-Viso recorder. A myoepithelial response was elicited by a threshold dose of 2 mU of oxytocin intravenously. Intranasal spray produced responses similar in amplitude to intravenous doses when applied in amounts 200 times the intravenous dose. The response pattern of intranasal spray was that of a series of contractions, whereas intravenous doses produced single contractions. The lag time from administration to response was 100 sec with intranasal oxytocin vs. 20 sec with intravenous doses. Clinically, a twice-a-day application of intranasal spray oxytocin appeared to accelerate the normal physiologic process of involution in nonnursing mothers. Submitted on November 22, 1961Keywords
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