Definition for Pitocin
From Biology Forums Dictionary
Pitocin (oxytocin injection) is a sterile, clear, colorless aqueous solution of synthetic oxytocin, for intravenous infusion or intramuscular injection. Pitocin (oxytocin injection) is a nonapeptide found in pituitary extracts from mammals. It is standardized to contain 10 units of oxytocic hormone/mL and contains 0.5% Chlorobutanol, a chloroform derivative as a preservative, with the pH adjusted with acetic acid. Pitocin (oxytocin injection) may contain up to 16% of total impurities. The hormone is prepared synthetically to avoid possible contamination with vasopressin (ADH) and other small polypeptides with biologic activity. Pitocin (oxytocin injection) has the empirical formula C46H66N12O12S2, (molecular weight 1007.19). The structural formula is as follows:
