Oxytocin is a pleiotropic, peptide hormone with broad implications for general health, adaptation, development, reproduction, and social behavior. Endogenous oxytocin and stimulation of the oxytocin receptor support patterns of growth, resilience, and healing. Oxytocin can function as a stress-coping molecule, an anti-inflammatory, and an antioxidant, with protective effects especially in the face of adversity or trauma. Oxytocin influences the autonomic nervous system and the immune system. These properties of oxytocin may help explain the benefits of positive social experiences and have drawn attention to this molecule as a possible therapeutic in a host of disorders. However, as detailed here, the unique chemical properties of oxytocin, including active disulfide bonds, and its capacity to shift chemical forms and bind to other molecules make this molecule difficult to work with and to measure. The effects of oxytocin also are context-dependent, sexually dimorphic, and altered by experience. In part, this is because many of the actions of oxytocin rely on its capacity to interact with the more ancient peptide molecule, vasopressin, and the vasopressin receptors. In addition, oxytocin receptor(s) are epigenetically tuned by experience, especially in early life. Stimulation of G-protein–coupled receptors triggers subcellular cascades allowing these neuropeptides to have multiple functions. The adaptive properties of oxytocin make this ancient molecule of special importance to human evolution as well as modern medicine and health; these same characteristics also present challenges to the use of oxytocin-like molecules as drugs that are only now being recognized.

中文翻译：

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催产素是“天然药物”吗？

催产素是一种多效性肽激素，对一般健康、适应、发育、繁殖和社会行为具有广泛影响。内源性催产素和催产素受体的刺激支持生长、恢复和愈合的模式。催产素可以作为压力应对分子、抗炎剂和抗氧化剂发挥作用，尤其是在面对逆境或创伤时具有保护作用。催产素影响自主神经系统和免疫系统。催产素的这些特性可能有助于解释积极的社会体验的好处，并引起人们对这种分子作为许多疾病的可能治疗方法的关注。然而，正如此处详述的那样，催产素的独特化学性质，包括活性二硫键，及其改变化学形式和与其他分子结合的能力使得这种分子难以处理和测量。催产素的作用也与情境有关，具有性别二态性，并且会因经验而改变。在某种程度上，这是因为催产素的许多作用依赖于它与更古老的肽分子、加压素和加压素受体相互作用的能力。此外，催产素受体会根据经验进行表观遗传调整，尤其是在生命早期。刺激 G 蛋白偶联受体会触发亚细胞级联反应，使这些神经肽具有多种功能。催产素的适应特性使这种古老的分子对人类进化以及现代医学和健康具有特别重要的意义；