Oxytocin nasal administration

Oxytcxrin preparations are widely used with or without umniotomy to induce and stimulate labor. Although injection Is the u.sual mute of administration, the sublingual route is extremely effective. Sublingual and intranasal spray (Oxytocin Nasal Solution. USP) routes of administration also will stimuliile milk letdown. 

Administration of oxytocin may result in fetal bradycardia, uterine rupture, uterine hypertonicity, nausea, vomiting, cardiac arrhythmias, and anaphylactic reactions. Serious water intoxication (fluid overload, fluid volume excess) may occur, particularly when the drug is administered by continuous infusion and the patient is receiving fluids by mouth. When used as a nasal spray, adverse reactions are rare. 

Peptide/protein uptake rates across the nasal epithelia are dependent upon molecular mass. Relatively small peptides, such as oxytocin, desmopressin and LHRH analogues, cross relatively easily and several such products used medically are routinely delivered nasally. Larger molecules (of molecular mass greater than 10 kDa) generally do not cross the epithelial barrier without the concurrent administration of detergent-like uptake enhancers. Long-term use of enhancers is prohibited due to their damaging cellular effects. 

The administration of systemically acting products via the nasal route began in the 1980s. The peptide oxytocin, which stimulates uterine contraction and lactation, was one of the first nasally administered peptide hormones. Meanwhile, several peptide-based nasal formulations entered the market. Currently, more attention is being paid to this delivery system due to the increasing demands of new highly potent drug formulations. In addition, patients expectations for... 

Vasopressin is administered parenterally, but its synthetic analog, desmopressin acetate, can be administered by rhinal tube or orally, by tablet, for the treatment of diabetes insipidus [10]. Oxytocin and Vasopressin are manufactured through solid-phase synthesis [22, 23]. Antidiuretics are in fairly widespread use, having been prescribed in about 15% of all physician visits in the United Sates in 2002-2003 up from about 10% only 7 years before [24]. Oxytocin is used to induce labor by parenteral administration, either through subcutaneous or intravenous injection, or can be administered nasally to increase milk production in nursing mothers. Oxytocin induction of labor occurred in approximately 20% of births in the United States in 2003 [24]. 

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