Oxytocin vs Vasopressin: what is the difference?
Oxytocin and vasopressin differ at only two of nine amino acids; oxytocin drives uterine contraction and milk letdown, vasopressin makes the kidney keep water.
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedMoleculeFinder rule (RDKit MCS)Drawn the same way round on the skeleton they share. Aligned; 14 atoms differ, too many to mark as one group.
- Structural similaritycomputedRDKit Morgan/Tanimoto0.71 of 1, a Morgan fingerprint Tanimoto coefficient. It measures shape, not effect.
Side by side
| Oxytocin | Vasopressin | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weightCalculated PubChem | 1,007.2 g/molC43H66N12O12S2 | 1,084.2 g/molC46H65N15O12S2 |
| Hydrogen-bond donorsCalculated PubChem | 12 | 14 |
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Peptides | Peptides |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Body | Body |
| Chemical groupsCalculated Found by rule (RDKit) | Amines, Aromatics, Amides, Phenols | Amines, Aromatics, Amides, Phenols |
| Hazard labelReported ECHA via PubChem | Warning | Warning |
| The supplier-filed hazard label's signal word, not a statement about ordinary use. | ||
Sources and notes
- Molecular weightcomputedPubChemComputed from the structure; the formula is under each weight.
- Hydrogen-bond donorscomputedPubChemThe hydrogens on nitrogen or oxygen that each molecule can lend to a hydrogen bond, counted from its structure.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Chemical groupscomputedFound by rule (RDKit)Each group is found in the structure by a chemical pattern.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA via PubChem
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- Identifiersfrom sourcePubChemPubChem CID 439302 (Oxytocin) and 644077 (Vasopressin).
In more detail
Both are released from the posterior pituitary. That near-identity means each has some activity at the other's receptors, which is one reason their effects are hard to separate cleanly in studies. Oxytocin drives uterine contraction and milk letdown and is the one that gets written about for social bonding. Vasopressin, also called antidiuretic hormone, tells the kidney to reclaim water and constricts blood vessels, so it is the one that governs how concentrated your urine is. Both are peptides, so neither is absorbed usefully from the gut.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Oxytocin and Vasopressin?
- Oxytocin and vasopressin differ at only two of nine amino acids; oxytocin drives uterine contraction and milk letdown, vasopressin makes the kidney keep water.
- Is Oxytocin bigger than Vasopressin?
- Vasopressin is the heavier molecule, 1,084.2 g/mol against 1,007.2 g/mol for Oxytocin. Oxytocin is C43H66N12O12S2 and Vasopressin is C46H65N15O12S2.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.