Pure Appl. Biol., 10(1): 318-324, March, 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2021.100034 Review Article Oxytocin; Effects on Milk Production Muhammad Ahmad1, Ghulam Jelani1, Shaista Jalbani2* and Majid Hussain Soomro3 1. Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand-Pakistan 2. Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand-Pakistan 3. Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand-Pakistan *Corresponding author’s email: [email protected] Citation Muhammad Ahmad, Ghulam Jelani, Shaista Jalbani and Majid Hussain Soomro. Oxytocin; Effects on milk production. Pure and Applied Biology. Vol. 10, Issue 1, pp318-324. http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2021.100034 Received: 11/06/2020 Revised: 24/08/2020 Accepted: 31/08/2020 Online First: 21/09/2020 Abstract Oxytocin (OT) (quick birth) is a polypeptide hormone that is released and stored in the posterior pituitary gland. It is used in veterinary practices for the milk let down and for the treatment of certain diseases like mastitis but in Pakistan it is used for the increase of milk production. OT injection is easily available in the village shops and large number of farmers uses OT for the increase of milk production but most researches shows that milk flow is increase by the OT administration. Whereas some authors state that small amount of milk production increases by administration of OT that is 10-15%. Regular use of OT has many harmful effects on the animals and the human beings that used milk of OT used animals. It causes loss of hair, stunted growth, less productivity of the animals and failure of the reproductive organs etc. So it should be sale on the veterinarian prescription and properly guide the farmers about OT. Keywords: Abuses; Hormone; Milk; Pakistan; Uses Introduction [2, 3]. Oxytocin is released by the OT is a peptide hormone that is released stimulation of teats from the pituitary gland. from the posterior pituitary. The release of It contracts the myoepithelial cells around OT from the posterior pituitary is regulated the alveoli and small milk ducts of udder. by sensory stimuli rising from the cervix, Then milk is transferred into the mammary vagina and suckling of the milk reflux from ducts, cisternal cavities of the gland and the mammary gland. Stimulation of cervix teats [4]. in the pregnant animal elicits a nervous The synthetic OT is used in the worldwide signal to hypothalamus cause secretion of and in our country (Pakistan) that is the OT, suckling stimuli of nipple/teat approved by Food and Drug Administration release of OT by same route. It is also Act (FDA). It is used frequently with the known as alpha hypophamine [1]. Large aim of preventing postpartum bleeding, amount of the milk is store in alveoli and therapeutic aborts, and parturition induction, small milk ducts of the udder that is providing postpartum lactation that is transferred to the cisternal cavities by the increasing now a day [5-7]. In United States neuroendocrine reflux by OT to make milk (US) OT for all parturition was used 18.4% Published by Bolan Society for Pure and Applied Biology 318 Ahmad et al. and this rate was stated as 20% in 2000 [8]. hormone that have positive feedback on the OT is injected in animals before or during stimulation action. OT causes g protein the milking that remove total amount of coupled to stimulate by arising intra cellular residual milk because all the milk is not calcium in uterine myofibril. This is where removed from udder. By the use of the OT positive feedback comes to play when OT is up to 90% milk is removed from the udder raised it causes the uterine contraction and by the normal milking [9]. Long-term use of these contraction further ore increases the exotic OT reduces the milk production [10]. OT level. When fetus pusses again cervix it OT injection effect on the magnitude of milk impulses the release of the OT in much production that is variable from 10 to 15.5 amount and thus consumption is completely %. Dosage and time of OT injection control successful. Not only OT cause uterine the Milk production [11]. In Pakistan OT is contraction but it causes myoepithelial cells used on large scale for the milk production in the female breast to squeeze. Such or increase milk yield because it can be contraction force milk expulsion hence purchased without any prescription and positive feedback is revealed (Fig. 1). When available easily on fewer prices [12, 13]. infant suck the mother breast it stimulates Mechanism of action the release of OT and milk let down. Less of OT is a nano-peptide hormone stored this hormone will be released as it exhibited particularly in pars nervosa or posterior lobe it effect on the body [14, 15]. of pituitary gland and it is one of the few Figure 1. Mechanism of oxytocin Use of the Oxytocin (%) in Pakistan Use of the Oxytocin on dairy farms for Use of OT increases the milk production in milk production in Pakistan buffalo and cattle that is 96.66% and 90 % It was observed that OT could easily be respectively and OT is used for the dead purchased for as little fetus and difficult birth in cattle and e as 18–20 rupees/50 ml from local shops, buffaloes (Table 1) [12]. even at village level (Fig. 2) [16]. 319 Pure Appl. Biol., 10(1): 318-324, March, 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2021.100034 Table 1. Oxytocin Uses in Pakistan Specie Milk yield% Dead fetus% Difficulty in birth% Cattle 90 10 58.33 Buffalo 96.66 13.33 71.66 Figure 2. Use of Oxytocin uses in farms Uses of the OT and their colleagues in 1991 showed that by OT injection is used to let milk down in the the administration of OT 10-12% milk buffaloes and cows [17]. For milk let down production increases while some researches many ways are used like calf suckling, show no significant effect on the milk manual pre-stimulation, feeding of production [22]. OT is used for the increase concentrates and OT injection is also used of milk production in the dairy cows. Milk for the milking [18]. According to the Indian production increases significantly but the fat survey it is estimated that 65% surveyed % in the milk does not change as shown in farm use concentrates feeding and 13% (Table 2) [23]. farms use OT injection for the milk let down OT helps in the transport of egg and sperms .In Pakistan concentrate feeding, calf by the muscle contraction [24]. It helps to suckling and injection of the OT are used for decrease the excretion of urine due to its the stimulation of the dairy animals [19-21]. similarity with vasopressin and stimulates Administration of the small dose of OT can the excretion of sodium from kidney [25] increase or have no effect on the milk and helps to mediate aggressive behavior in production, while administration in large sheep. OT excreted during stress [26] and it amount increases the milk yield 15.5% is a significant modulator during the anxiety whatever on the removal of complete milk. and fear by acting on the amygdale [27]. It Every research show different effect of the increased positive communication, reduces OT injection but according to the Nostrand stress and improve health in positive couple 320 Ahmad et al. interaction [28]. It may also increase the also used for the induction of labor and also classical stress hormone of the reduces bleeding after abortion [37]. Penile hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis [29, 30]. erection is the most important for sexual OT inhibits excitatory flow from amygdala reproduction which is induced by oxytocin to brainstem sites by acting on the central [38]. OT helps in the dilation of the cervix amygdala to mediating fear response [31]. and causes the contraction of the uterus OT reduces feeding and acts as a satiety during the 2nd and 3rd stage of the labor [24]. hormone in animal [32] and it also decrease Oxytocin hormone is also known as love the level of fat in body by increasing hormone [39]. Oxytocin secretion increases lipolysis [33]. during the sleeping in humans. Oxytocin Administration of OT in sheep helps in the lessens the fear by inhibiting the amygdale transcervical artificial insemination [34]. [40]. It also effects on the behavior, learning During the treatment of mastitis it is also and memory. The administration of the OT used to remove the debris of udder and milk increases the milk production with the reduce [35]. OT produces attraction between greater maintenance of the persistency male and female. during the lactation [22]. OT administration in large quantity for one On the other hand, there’s proof from the week increases milk production 15.5% while literature that the momentary treatment of applying OT for 2 weeks increase in the buffaloes with OT to ease birth or placenta milk production is only 3 % [36].OT elimination increased the productive universally used to produce letdown of milk performance of buffaloes via decreasing in veterinary practice. involution time and service period [41]. OT acts on the uterus and mammary gland Armstrong and Hansel, 1959 concluded that of female reproduction. Its synthetic OT may influence estrous cycle period of analogues are carbotocin and demoxytocin cow [42]. As Afzal reported in 2003 the that are used in obstetrics for the prevention impact of long-term utilization of OT in of puerperal mastitis and to decrease the buffaloes are unknown [43].