Oxytocin-Vasopressin-Like Hormone From Ants: A Way To Ease Pain Of Pregnant Women During Birth

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Oxytocin well-known as a hormone responsible for the emotional attachment has been discovered to be a good way to ease the pain of pregnant women. Research found that an oxytocin-like hormone from ants which acts like oxytocin could inhibit preterm labor.

In some cases, oxytocin used as a way of medication to aid birth PubMed Health cited whereas this hormone stimulates powerful contraction that helps the cervix when giving birth. Like oxytocin, vasopressin also plays an important role during birth where this hormone has been used to have analgesic effects. Vasopressin usually controls the water balance through the kidneys but in combination with oxytocin both of these can regulate blood supply to the uterus during birth

The team from the Medical University of Vienna in Austria examined the two hormones that work with both human and insects. The study published in the journal Scientific Reports led by Christian Gruber from the Institute of Pharmacology, where Gruber and his team isolated inotocin present in ants that have a similar structure to oxytocin and vasopressin.

Hence, medical scientist examined the four brain receptors that respond to the oxytocin and vasopressin: one oxytocin receptor (OTR) and three vasopressin receptors (VR) - VR1a, VR1b, and VR2. Then the researchers tried to isolate inotocin from the black ant, duplicated cognate receptor then examined the effect on both human and insects OTRs and VRs.

The research found, in humans inotocin activated the VR1b but repressed V1a. Gruber and his team tested the inotocin with the human uterine tissue and discovered that it successfully inhibit muscular contraction.

In relation with birth, by analyzing such genetic sets, insects like ants containing oxytocin-vasopressin like signaling system can be a good way to start for scientists to create and develop new drugs that can help with the therapy given with the pregnant woman during preterm labor or birth Medical News Today reported.

Why oxytocin so important? Watch the video below!