Oxytocics are drugs that stimulate uterine motility. Inspite of promoting the contractility of the uterus they hasten labor and are therefore useful clinically in the management of labor, particularly if they are selective for the uterus. Although oxytocics are occasionally used to induce labor at term or to complete a threatened abortion and to control hemorrhage during and following abortion, their principal use in obstetrics is to control postpartum hemorrhage.

Oxytocics are now used more or less routinely in the management of labor. They are administered in small dose to support the process of involution. during which uterus returns to its normal, nonpregnant condition. In case of delayed involution, which usually is associated with uterine atony, the stimulation of uterus by oxytocics is definitely helpful.

Compounds exhibiting pronounced oxytocic activity are quite varied in their chemical structure. The naturally occurring compounds include the hormones of posterior pituitary, oxytocin and vasopressin, the ergot alkaloid spartine. The synthetic substances comprise modified analogs of oxytocin and ergonovine, model compounds based on the structure of ergot alkaloids, certain derivatives of quinolizidine and some aminomethyl derivatives, besides there are number of botanical drugs and synthetic substances have been found to possess oxytocic activity.