Peptide LibraryVasopressin
Vasopressin is an FDA-approved antidiuretic hormone in the Vasopressin Receptor Agonist class. Vasopressin acts at V1a receptors on vascular smooth muscle, where Gq-coupled signalling raises intracellular calcium and produces vasoconstriction, and at renal V2 receptors, where it drives aquaporin-2 insertion into collecting duct membranes and promotes water reabsorption.
For research use only.
Key Facts
- CAS
- —
- Molecular Weight (MW)
- —
- Half-life
- —
- FDA status
- Approved
- Evidence level
- FDA Approved
- Human dose established
- Yes
- Administration Route
- Intravenous
- Frequency
- Continuous intravenous infusion
- Last updated
- Nov 7, 2026
- Reviewed
- Nov 7, 2026
Research summary
Endogenous nonapeptide hormone, available as a prescription intravenous product, approved to raise blood pressure in adults with vasodilatory shock who remain hypotensive despite fluids and catecholamines.
Research evidence
- Regulatory review (FDA label)1 reviewed source
- Controlled human trialsNone in reviewed sources
- Early or uncontrolled human studiesNone in reviewed sources
- Lab & animal studiesNone in reviewed sources
How it works
Each step shows whether the sources Peptide Library has reviewed include that kind of research. Counts are reviewed sources, not every study ever published. Reviews and programme summaries that describe human use are shown as "reported", not as trials, and registered trials without published results are listed but not counted. A higher step means research has progressed further; it does not mean a compound works better or is safer. Compounds whose evidence has not been reviewed yet show "Not reviewed" instead of a guess.
Peptide Library's Vasopressin profile summarises 5 cited studies listed in the Science section, the compound's regulatory status, and research-protocol parameters reported for it. It is a research reference, not medical advice.
Vasopressin dosage evidence
Vasopressin has an FDA-approved human dosage only as a hospital infusion to raise blood pressure in adults with vasodilatory shock who stay hypotensive despite fluids and catecholamines. The Vasostrict label starts at 0.03 units a minute after heart surgery and 0.01 units a minute in septic shock, raised by 0.005 units a minute every 10–15 minutes to a target blood pressure, with limited data above 0.1 and 0.07 units a minute.
| Human dosing established | Yes |
|---|---|
| Route | Intravenous |
| Frequency | Continuous intravenous infusion |
| Duration studied | Until blood pressure holds, then tapered |
| Titration | Raised by 0.005 units/minute every 10–15 minutes to the target blood pressure; once it has held for 8 hours without catecholamines, tapered by 0.005 units/minute every hour. |
| Evidence level | FDA Approved |
| Last reviewed | 2026-11-07 |
Research-reported dosing
Doses as studied, one row per regimen. Different trials used different regimens; they are listed separately rather than averaged.
| Study / context | Population | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Outcome studied | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDA label — Vasostrict, vasodilatory shockFDA-approved label · FDA prescribing information | Adults with vasodilatory shock (post-cardiotomy or septic) who remain hypotensive despite fluids and catecholamines | Post-cardiotomy shock: start 0.03 units/minute, range 0.03–0.1. Septic shock: start 0.01 units/minute, range 0.01–0.07 | Intravenous infusion, diluted | Continuous | Titrated, then tapered | Increased blood pressure | VASOSTRICT (vasopressin injection) — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed |
Where sources disagree
- Vasopressin is dosed in units, not milligrams, and only as a monitored intravenous infusion in intensive care. The label warns that it can worsen cardiac function and that reversible diabetes insipidus can follow stopping it; its most common adverse reactions include slow or irregular heart rhythm, hyponatremia and reduced blood flow to the heart, gut, skin and fingers.
- Safety and effectiveness in children with vasodilatory shock have not been established, according to the label.
Science
Mechanism of Action
Vasopressin acts at V1a receptors on vascular smooth muscle, where Gq-coupled signalling raises intracellular calcium and produces vasoconstriction, and at renal V2 receptors, where it drives aquaporin-2 insertion into collecting duct membranes and promotes water reabsorption. Its vasoconstrictor action is preserved in acidotic and catecholamine-refractory states, which is the basis for its use in shock.
Studies
- Vasopressin and its analogues in patients with septic shock: holy Grail or unfulfilled promise?
- Arginine Vasopressin, Synaptic Plasticity, and Brain Networks
- Linking oxytocin and arginine vasopressin signaling abnormalities to social behavior impairments in Prader-Willi syndrome
- Pharmacological Chaperones as Potential Therapeutic Strategies for Misfolded Mutant Vasopressin Receptors
- Arginine Vasopressin and Copeptin in Perinatology
Regulatory & research status
Vasopressin is an FDA-approved product for specific labelled indications. Approval does not extend to the research contexts described on this page, and approved products are prescription medicines.
| FDA status | Approved |
|---|---|
| Research status | Approved product (see FDA status) |
| Availability | Prescription-Only |
| WADA (sport) | Unknown / Not Listed |
| Library classification | FDA-Approved |
How FDA approval, compounding and research-only status differ
Benefits
—
Vasopressin side effects
No side effects listed yet for this entry.
Storage & stability
This compound is not supplied as a powder to be mixed, so the freeze-dried powder and reconstitution handling described for research peptides does not apply. Storage conditions are product-specific: follow the label or packaging of the product itself.
Vasopressin: frequently asked questions
What is Vasopressin?
Endogenous nonapeptide hormone, available as a prescription intravenous product, approved to raise blood pressure in adults with vasodilatory shock who remain hypotensive despite fluids and catecholamines.
How does Vasopressin work?
Vasopressin acts at V1a receptors on vascular smooth muscle, where Gq-coupled signalling raises intracellular calcium and produces vasoconstriction, and at renal V2 receptors, where it drives aquaporin-2 insertion into collecting duct membranes and promotes water reabsorption. Its vasoconstrictor action is preserved in acidotic and catecholamine-refractory states, which is the basis for its use in shock.
Is Vasopressin FDA approved?
Yes. Vasopressin is approved by the FDA, and approved products are prescription medicines. Approval is always for specific indications studied in clinical trials, so an approved status does not mean the compound is approved for every use it is discussed for. Research-chemical material sold under the same name is not the approved product.
What peptides are similar to Vasopressin?
Compounds most often compared with Vasopressin include Desmopressin, Terlipressin, Angiotensin II and Cetrorelix. They are grouped by shared mechanism or research area rather than by equivalence, and their regulatory status and evidence base differ.
References
- Vasopressin and its analogues in patients with septic shock: holy Grail or unfulfilled promise? — Crit Care, 2025External reference
- Arginine Vasopressin, Synaptic Plasticity, and Brain Networks — Curr Neuropharmacol, 2022External reference
- Linking oxytocin and arginine vasopressin signaling abnormalities to social behavior impairments in Prader-Willi syndrome — Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 2022External reference
- Pharmacological Chaperones as Potential Therapeutic Strategies for Misfolded Mutant Vasopressin Receptors — Handb Exp Pharmacol, 2018External reference
- Arginine Vasopressin and Copeptin in Perinatology — Front Pediatr, 2016External reference
Related research, comparisons & guides
Related peptides
Compiled by Peptide Library Editorial · Reviewed Aug 30, 2026 · Updated Nov 7, 2026 · Version 2
This Vasopressin profile is compiled from published literature (5 cited studies linked above), public regulatory records and chemical registries. It describes what research reports; it is not medical advice, and nothing here is a dosing recommendation for humans. Peptide Library does not sell peptides. Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled · Report an error
Track Vasopressin research, inventory and reconstitution in the free Peptide Library app. Get the app for iOS or Android →