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The hormone is also used to increase the size of vegetables such as pumpkins, watermelons, brinjals, gourds and cucumbers.

 

Oxytocin is a peptide hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland and is now chemically synthesised. It has medical use for induction and augmentation of labour, to control post- partum bleeding and uterine hypotonicity. The drug is also used in veterinary in case of retention of placenta and expulsion of foetus.

 "Oxytocin injections are being illicitly used by dairy owners to extract milk leading to its harmful effects on humans as well as livestock. We want a strict surveillance for this drug. Despite a ban, it is being used in the dairy industry without a prescription from a registered medical practitioner. We want to curb this practice,

 said Dr Jagdish Prasad, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Union Health Ministry.


The misuse of this growth promoter drug is also reported in cases where children are trafficked for the purpose of prostitution, and the drug is injected to ensure girls attain puberty earlier than usual.

Banned hormonal injection Oxytocin seized from dairy owners

 'hormonal injection', widely used in dairy industry to boost milk production in cows and buffaloes, by importing the drug in disguised names.

 "Misuse of oxytocin by importing it in the form active pharmaceutical ingredients under disguised names of custom peptides, other peptides and amino acids has been unearthed,"

 a senior official in the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under Union Health Ministry said.