Glossary
40 terms — plain-English definitions of the language of peptide research.
- Adverse event
- An unwanted medical occurrence during use of a compound.
- Agonist
- A molecule that activates a receptor to produce a response.
- Analog
- A modified version of a molecule designed to alter its properties.
- Angiogenesis
- The formation of new blood vessels.
- Antagonist
- A molecule that blocks a receptor without activating it.
- Bioavailability
- The fraction of a dose that reaches systemic circulation in active form.
- Certificate of Analysis (COA)
- A lab document reporting a batch's identity and purity tests.
- Contraindication
- A condition that makes a treatment inadvisable.
- Endogenous
- Produced naturally within the body.
- Endotoxin
- Bacterial cell-wall components that can cause harmful reactions.
- FDA approval
- U.S. authorization to market a drug for specific indications.
- Fragment
- A portion of a larger peptide or protein.
- GHRH
- Growth-hormone-releasing hormone, which stimulates GH secretion.
- GHRP
- Growth-hormone-releasing peptides, which act on the ghrelin receptor.
- GIP
- Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, another incretin hormone.
- GLP-1
- Glucagon-like peptide-1, an incretin hormone affecting insulin and appetite.
- Half-life
- The time for the amount of a compound in the body to fall by half.
- HPLC
- High-performance liquid chromatography, used to assess purity.
- IGF-1
- Insulin-like growth factor 1, a mediator of growth-hormone effects.
- In vitro
- Experiments performed in cells or test tubes, outside a living organism.
- In vivo
- Experiments performed in a living organism.
- Incretin
- Gut hormones (GLP-1, GIP) that boost insulin after eating.
- Lyophilized
- Freeze-dried for stability.
- Mass spectrometry
- A technique that measures molecular mass to confirm identity.
- Mechanism of action
- The specific biochemical way a compound produces its effect.
- Meta-analysis
- A statistical synthesis of results from multiple studies.
- Peptide
- A short chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds.
- Pharmacodynamics
- What a compound does to the body — its effects and mechanism.
- Pharmacokinetics
- How the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and clears a compound.
- Preclinical
- Research in cells or animals, before human trials.
- Protein
- A large amino-acid chain that folds into a functional 3-D structure.
- Purity
- The proportion of a sample that is the intended compound.
- Randomized controlled trial (RCT)
- A study that randomly assigns participants to treatment or control.
- Receptor
- A protein that binds a signalling molecule and triggers a cellular response.
- Reconstitution
- Dissolving a lyophilized (freeze-dried) peptide into liquid for research use.
- Research-use-only
- Labeled for laboratory research, not human use.
- Secretagogue
- A substance that triggers secretion of another substance.
- Systematic review
- A structured review that gathers and appraises all relevant studies.
- Titration
- Gradually adjusting a dose to a target.
- WADA
- The World Anti-Doping Agency, which sets the prohibited-substance list.
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