L-368,899
Encyclopedia
L-368,899 is a drug used in scientific research which acts as a selective antagonist of the oxytocin receptor
, with good selectivity over the related vasopressin receptor
s. Unlike related drugs such as the peripherally selective L-371,257
, the oral bioavailabity is high and the brain penetration of L-368,899 is rapid, with selective accumulation in areas of the limbic system
. This makes it a useful tool for investigating the centrally mediated roles of oxytocin, such as in social behaviour and pair bonding, and studies in primates have shown L-368,899 to reduce a number of behaviours such as food sharing, sexual activity and caring for infants, demonstrating the importance of oxytocinergic signalling in mediating these important social behaviours.
Oxytocin receptor
The oxytocin receptor, also known as OXTR, is a protein which functions as receptor for the hormone and neurotransmitter oxytocin. In humans, the oxytocin receptor is encoded by the OXTR gene., which has been localized to human chromosome 3p25....
, with good selectivity over the related vasopressin receptor
Vasopressin receptor
A vasopressin receptor is a cell surface receptor which binds vasopressin. The three types of vasopressin receptor are members of the A6 subfamily of G-protein coupled receptors.-Subtypes:Humans express three subtypes: 1A, 1B and 2-Function:...
s. Unlike related drugs such as the peripherally selective L-371,257
L-371,257
L-371,257 is a compound used in scientific research which acts as a selective antagonist of the oxytocin receptor with over 800x selectivity over the related vasopressin receptors...
, the oral bioavailabity is high and the brain penetration of L-368,899 is rapid, with selective accumulation in areas of the limbic system
Limbic system
The limbic system is a set of brain structures including the hippocampus, amygdala, anterior thalamic nuclei, septum, limbic cortex and fornix, which seemingly support a variety of functions including emotion, behavior, long term memory, and olfaction. The term "limbic" comes from the Latin...
. This makes it a useful tool for investigating the centrally mediated roles of oxytocin, such as in social behaviour and pair bonding, and studies in primates have shown L-368,899 to reduce a number of behaviours such as food sharing, sexual activity and caring for infants, demonstrating the importance of oxytocinergic signalling in mediating these important social behaviours.