Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P01178 (oxytocin)
 15,767 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The effects of the antivenene fraction of an ethanol extract of Diodia scandens on some mammalian smooth muscles were investigated. On the guinea-pig ileum, the extract was shown to be a partial agonist acting via muscarinic receptors. Acetylcholine (ACh) was 2.5 x 10(5) times more potent. On the pregnant guinea-pig uterus, the extract induced concentration-dependent increases in the force of contraction and tonus. Oxytocin and ergometrine were respectively 10(6) and 10(3) times more potent. The extract, at subliminal concentrations, potentiated ACh and adrenaline-induced contractions in the guinea-pig was deferens. It also induced dose-related vasodilatation in the rat hindquarters and depressed the blood pressure in the anaesthetized cat. It was concluded that these pharmacological actions offer some scientific explanation for the use of Diodia scandens in traditional medicine as a laxative and as an oxytocic agent. It is suggested that the extract could enhance erection and ejaculatory processes in the male, thus accounting for its regular use by some elderly males.
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PMID:Pharmacological basis for the use of the antivenene water soluble extract of Diodia scandens as a laxative, oxytocic agent and a possible aphrodisiac in traditional medicine practice in eastern Nigeria. 1047 53

Oxytocin release in response to suckling was examined in primiparous lactating rats following alcohol administration. Lactating rats, with litters adjusted to eight pups on day 2, were implanted with an atrial catheter between days 6 to 8 of lactation. Four days later, alcohol in doses 0.0, 1.0, or 2.0 g/kg BW was infused, and blood alcohol levels achieved following infusion of initial doses were maintained for 4 h. On the day of alcohol infusion, pups were separated from the dams at 8:00 A.M. Following completion of alcohol infusion, a baseline blood sample was obtained, pups were returned to the dams, and additional samples were obtained 5, 10, 30, and 60 min after suckling started. Oxytocin levels in plasma were determined by radioimmunoassay. Suckling latencies and milk consumption during the 60 min of suckling were determined. Alcohol administration inhibited suckling-induced oxytocin release across all time points. Suckling latencies among groups were comparable. Milk consumption by pups during the 60 min of suckling was lower for the alcohol administered groups. The data from the present study demonstrate that acute alcohol administration to lactating rats inhibits suckling-induced oxytocin release resulting in reduction of milk secretion.
Alcohol 1999 Aug
PMID:Alcohol inhibits suckling-induced oxytocin release in the lactating rat. 1048 88

The work is devoted to the investigation of ethanol direct effect on the transmembrane Ca2+ metabolism in the intracellular structures of myometrium. In the experiments in vitro it has been shown that the Mg2+, ATP-dependent system for Ca2+ accumulation in endoplasmic reticulum is more sensitive then Ca(2+)-accumulating system in mitochondria. It has also been found that the oxytocin insensitive part of Mg2+, ATP-dependent Ca2+ accumulation of the endoplasmic reticulum is less resistant to ethanol inhibition than the oxytocin sensitive one. The data above revealed allow to discuss mechanism of ethanol action on the intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis in myometrium.
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PMID:[Effector action of ethanol on the accumulation of Ca2+ in intracellular structures of uterine smooth muscle]. 1079 Oct 72

Myometrial contractions of labor result from an increase in myometrial activation and stimulation. Activation develops through the expression of contraction associated proteins (CAPs), including oxytocin receptors (OTR), connexin-43 (Cx-43), and prostaglandin F2 alpha, receptors (FP). Stimulation involves increases in contractile agonists including prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2 alpha. (PGF2 alpha) that may result from increases in prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthase (PGHS)-2. A mouse model of preterm birth was used to study gene expression involved in myometrial activation and stimulation. To induce preterm birth, pregnant C57BL/6J mice were intubated with 6 g/kg ethanol on gestational day 16 and were killed every 6 h from treatment until birth. RIA was used to measure uterine PGE2 and PGF2 alpha, while PGHS-2, OTR, Cx-43, and FP messenger RNA levels were measured by ribonuclease protection assay. Increases in CAP mRNA were associated with term and preterm birth. There were differences in stimulation effectors associated with preterm and term birth. Uterine PGF2 alpha values were increased only at the time of term birth, but PGE2 was elevated during both preterm and term labor. These data suggest that existing levels of PGF2 alpha are sufficient for preterm birth when CAP expression is increased, but term labor requires increases in PGE2, PGF2alpha, and CAPs. The PGHS-2 messenger RNA expression pattern suggests that it is a CAP.
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PMID:Expression of myometrial activation and stimulation genes in a mouse model of preterm labor: myometrial activation, stimulation, and preterm labor. 1080 82

In order of estimating some regularities of ethanol direct (effectory) effect to transmembrane calcium metabolism in the myometrium the action of this substance on the energy-dependent Ca(2+)-transporting systems of the uterine myocytes subcellular structures has been studied. The systems of Mg2+, ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport regarding their sensitivity to ethanol inhibitory effect were displayed as satisfying the following sequences: endoplasmic reticulum calcium pump > plasma membrane solubilized Ca2+, Mg2+, ATP-ase > mitochondrial Ca(2+)-accumulating system = plasma membrane calcium pump. Alongside with the latter, the oxytocin-insensitive component of Mg2+, ATP-dependent Ca2+ accumulation in the endoplasmic reticulum was defined to be less resistant to inhibitory effect of ethanol if compared with the oxytocin-sensitive one. On the base of the data received some mechanisms of ethanol effectory action on the intracellular calcium homeostasis in the myometrium cells are under the discussion.
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PMID:[Effect of ethanol on the activity of the energy-dependent Ca2+-transporting system of myometrial cells]. 1097 56

The effect of hexarelin and four related peptide analogues, EP 40904, EP 40737, EP 50885 and EP 60761, injected into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus of male rats in doses between 2 and 2000 ng on spontaneous penile erection was studied. Of these peptides, EP 60761 and EP 50885, but not hexarelin, EP 40904 or EP 40737, increased dose-dependently the number of spontaneous penile erections. EP 60761 was active already at the dose of 20 ng, which induced the sexual response in 70% of the treated rats. The maximal response was induced by 200 ng of the peptide. EP 50885 was less potent than EP 60761, with 1000 ng being the minimal effective dose and 2000 ng as the dose required to induce the maximal response. At the doses used, both peptides also increased slightly the number of spontaneous yawning episodes. EP 60761- and EP 50885-induced penile erection was prevented by the oxytocin receptor antagonist [d(CH(2))(5)Tyr(Me)(2)-Orn(8)]vasotocin (0.1-1 microg) given intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.), but not into the paraventricular nucleus (0.1-1 microg), by the competitive nitric oxide (NO) inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) given either into the paraventricular nucleus (10-20 microg) or i.c.v. (75-150 microg), by the N-type Ca(2+) channel blocker omega-conotoxin-GVIA (2-5 ng) or by the opiate morphine (1-10 microg), but not by the dopamine receptor antagonist (Z)-4-[3-[2-(trifluoromethyl)-9H-thioxanthen-9-ylidene]propyl]-1-p ipe razine-ethanol (cis-flupenthixol) (10 microg) or by the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist (5R, 10S)-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5, 10-imine ((+)-MK-801) (1 microg), all given into the paraventricular nucleus before either peptide. The present results show that EP 60761 and EP 50885 induced penile erection by increasing central oxytocin transmission, possibly by activating NO synthase in the cell bodies of oxytocinergic neurons located in the paraventricular nucleus that control penile erection.
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PMID:EP 60761 and EP 50885, two hexarelin analogues, induce penile erection in rats. 1098 Feb 72

The effects of subacute, acute and chronic ethanol exposure on the activity of Ca(2+)-accumulating systems of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum in myometrial cells of nonpregnant estrogen-treated rats were studied. It has been shown that the activity of Ca(2+)-accumulating system of mitochondria was higher than the activity of Ca(2+)-accumulating system of endoplasmic reticulum in myometrial cells from control, acute and subacute treated with ethanol rats. Under ethanol chronical assumption both Ca(2+)-accumulation in mitochondria and Ca(2+)-transporting activity of endoplasmic reticulum are inhibited. In the latter ease Mg2+, ATP-dependent Ca(2+)-pump lost its sensitivity to oxytocin.
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PMID:[Accumulation of Ca ions in intracellular structures of rat myometrium during subacute, acute, and chronic administration of ethanol]. 1120 Apr 74

In the experiments on the impregnant estrogenized rats the effect of chronic ethanol intake on Ca(2+)-accumulative mitochondrial systems and endoplasmatic systems of myometrium was estimated. It was defined that in chronic alcohol consumption the transport activity of mitochondria Ca(2+)-accumulative systems didn't prevail over endoplasmatic reticulum Ca(2+)-accumulative activity. Therewith mitochondria and endoplasmatic Ca(2+)-transport system was essentially disturbed. In the tested conditions Mg2+, ATP-dependent sensitivity of calcium pump to oxytocin inhibiting action was shown to disappear.
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PMID:[Effect of chronic craving for ethanol on accumulation of calcium ions in intracellular structures of rat myometrium]. 1159 16

In the experiments which have been conducted on digitonin-treated myometrium cell suspensions of nonpregnant rats the direct influence of ethanol in concentration 0-10% on the Ca2+ accumulation in mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum have been studied. Studies have been conducted on the different models, such as, control (model I), subacute (model II), acute (model III) and chronic ethanol consumption (model IV). It has been shown for all models that the dependence of Ca2+ accumulation by mitochondria on the concentration of ethanol in incubation medium is bell-shaped. Acute and chronic ethanol consumption resulted in statistically reliable decrease in the amount of accumulated cations. Nevertheless the I50 values were the same for the models I-III and were 8-9%, although in the case of model IV this one was only 4.0 +/- 0.6%. The increase of ethanol concentration in the incubation medium caused of Ca2+ accumulation decreasing in the endoplasmic reticulum for all studied models, the values of I50 also decreased for models II-IV (2.8 +/- 0.2; 2.5 +/- 0.2 and 2.3 +/- 0.3% respectively) relative to the control (3.8 +/- 0.2%). At the level of model I oxytocin-inhibited component of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ uptake was more stable to the ethanol effects than oxytocin-independent one. Although the sensitivity of the first one to the ethanol effects at the level of models II-IV rose, that parameter for the oxytocin-independent component was not changed. The mechanisms of ethanol effects on Ca2+ accumulation in the myometrium intracellular structures have been discussed.
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PMID:[Effect of ethanol on accumulation of Ca ions in intracellular structures of rat myometrium under conditions of first creating ethanol-dependent models]. 1164 48

Previous data revealed that numerous neurons in the supraoptic nucleus degenerate after prolonged ethanol exposure, and that the surviving neurons increase their activity in order to prevent dramatic changes in water metabolism. Conversely, excess alcohol does not induce cell death in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, but leads to depression of neuropeptide synthesis that is further aggravated by withdrawal. The aim of the present study is to characterize the effects of prolonged ethanol exposure on the magnocellular neurons of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in order to establish whether or not magnocellular neurons display a common pattern of reaction to excess alcohol, irrespective of the hypothalamic cell group they belong. Using conventional histological techniques, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, the structural organization and the synthesis and expression of vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OXT) in the magnocellular component of the PVN were studied under normal conditions and following chronic ethanol treatment (6 or 10 months) and withdrawal (4 months after 6 months of alcohol intake). After ethanol treatment, there was a marked decrease in the number of VP- and OXT-immunoreactive magnocellular neurons that was attributable to cell death. The surviving neurons were hypertrophied and the VP and OXT mRNA levels in the PVN unchanged. Withdrawal did not alter the number of VP- and OXT-producing neurons or the gene expression of these peptides. These results substantiate the view that after prolonged ethanol exposure numerous neurons of the hypothalamic magnocellular system degenerate, but the mRNA levels of VP and OXT are not decreased due to compensatory changes undergone by the surviving neurons.
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PMID:Prolonged alcohol intake leads to irreversible loss of vasopressin and oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. 1175 2


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