Abstract
IT has been known for some years that human amniotic fluid contains lipids which have an oxytocic action. Hanon et al.1 reviewed their work on these substances in 1953. They showed that the active principle, which they called eutocine, would cause isolated preparations of guinea pig uterus to contract, and was distinguishable from histamine, acetyl-choline, choline, and pituitary oxytocin. Eutocine could be dissolved in lipid solvents and was particularly soluble in ether. Eliminating cholesterol and phospholipids from the extracts caused no loss of activity, which seemed to be concentrated in the fatty acids and glycerides.
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References
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Clitheroe, H. J., and Pickles, V. R., J. Physiol., 156, 225 (1961).
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HAWKINS, D. Oxytocic Lipids in Human Amniotic Fluid. Nature 194, 975–976 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/194975a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/194975a0
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