Abstract

Prospective cohort study and public health issues of exogenous Oxytocin in animal milk

Authors: M. Shahid Mahmood, Iqra Yousaf, M. Luqman and Faisal Masoud

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.71081/cvj/2022.003

Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a nona-peptide (having nine peptides) hormone commonly used in veterinary medicine as well as in human. It has many benefits regarding the biologic and behavioral effects such as inducing labor, increasing the lactation yield and supporting emotional and mental wellbeing. The main objectives of the study were to examine the concentration of OT in animal milk and evaluating its side effects in human beings through questionnaire. Milk samples (N=384) were collected from different 8 towns of district Faisalabad to determine OT concentration through UV spectrometry in milk. Samples were analyzed for mastitis through surf field mastitis test (SFMT), Somatic cell count (SCC) by Newsman staining and differential leukocytic count (DLC) by panoptic staining. For bacteriological analysis, standard plate count (SPC), total viable count (TVC), total coliform bacteria (TCB), and total staph count (TSC) were determined. Risk factors including age, sex, stage of labor and dose were analyzed through prospective cohort study by questionnaire. It was observed through UV spectrometry results that OT is not retaining in milk samples after heating up to boiling temperature for 3-5 minutes. The results of SCC and TVC were shown to be lowered in samples treated with OT as compared to negative control. Side effects of its direct use on human beings were seen to be vomiting, headache, lowering heartbeat. Based on these findings it can be concluded that OT is not imposing serious threats to human health directly.

Keywords: Oxytocin, Cohort study, Animal milk, Pakistan