Search articles, compounds and glossary

A small word that turns up in very different places. Start with what it means, then ask what sits behind the name.

Three questions to keep in mind the next time a discovery catches your attention.

BPC-157 is often mentioned in recovery conversations. Here is how to separate the research question from the promise.

A longer life, healthier years, and a change in a cell are different questions. Keeping them separate makes the science clearer.

Meet MOTS-c, and the research question connecting a small peptide with the way cells handle energy.

A familiar ingredient can come with a big promise. The useful questions start with what was actually tested.

A sleep headline becomes more useful when you know what was in the study—and what was not.

A short synthetic peptide discussed in studies of tissue repair and the gut. Start with the study setting and its limitations.

A compound related to thymosin beta-4, discussed in research on cell movement and tissue repair.

A copper-binding peptide often discussed in skin research. An ingredient study is not evidence for every finished cosmetic.

A peptide studied for its interaction with signals involved in growth-hormone release.

A short synthetic peptide discussed in research on brain signalling and responses to stress or injury.

A peptide investigated for its action at three hormone receptors involved in metabolism. Explore the specific clinical studies below.

A peptide discussed in research on immune-system signalling. Findings depend on the condition and study design.

A synthetic peptide related to tuftsin, studied in research on stress-related and brain signalling.

A modified version of a hormone signal, studied in research on growth hormone and IGF-1.

A small peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA, studied in questions about energy regulation and metabolism.

A peptide involved in reproductive hormone signalling. The name covers forms with different chain lengths.

A coenzyme involved in cellular energy processes. It is included as a related reference compound, and is not a peptide.

An amino acid sequence is the ordered list of amino acid residues that make up a peptide or protein, written from the amino (N) terminus to the carboxyl (C) terminus. In research it is recorded with one-letter or three-letter codes, and it determines a molecule's identity, folding, and chemical behavior far more than its overall size.

Bacteriostatic water is sterile water containing roughly 0.9% benzyl alcohol, a preservative that inhibits bacterial growth and allows a reconstituted vial to be accessed multiple times in laboratory settings. In peptide research it is a common diluent for lyophilized powders because the benzyl alcohol suppresses microbial contamination across repeated handling of the same vial.

Bioavailability is the fraction of an administered dose of a compound that reaches systemic circulation in an unchanged, active form, expressed as a percentage. By definition an intravenous reference equals 100%. In peptide research it is a central pharmacokinetic parameter because most peptides degrade in the gut, giving oral routes very low bioavailability compared with parenteral routes.

A CAS number is a unique numerical identifier assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service to a specific chemical substance, formatted as up to ten digits in three hyphenated groups (for example 137525-51-0). In research it lets a single compound be referenced unambiguously across databases, catalogs, and safety documentation regardless of the many names a substance may carry.

A certificate of analysis (COA) is a document issued by a laboratory that reports the measured quality attributes of a specific batch of material, typically including identity, purity, and the analytical methods used. In peptide research it commonly summarizes HPLC purity and mass-spectrometry identity results, providing the documentary evidence that a batch matches its stated specification.

GHRH (growth-hormone-releasing hormone) is a hypothalamic peptide hormone that binds the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotroph cells and stimulates the synthesis and release of growth hormone. In research, GHRH and its synthetic analogues act on this receptor to study the growth-hormone axis, a mechanism distinct from the ghrelin-mimicking GHRP class.

GHRP (growth-hormone-releasing peptide) is a class of synthetic secretagogues that act as agonists at the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) to stimulate growth-hormone release from the pituitary. In research these peptides mimic the endogenous ligand ghrelin, operating through a pathway separate from GHRH, and the two classes are often studied together for their additive effect on the growth-hormone axis.

A growth-hormone secretagogue is any molecule that stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete growth hormone, acting at either the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) or the GHRH receptor. In research the term covers both peptide and non-peptide agents, and combining a GHRH-type and a GHRP-type secretagogue is a common experimental strategy because the two receptors reinforce one another.

Half-life is the time required for the concentration of a compound in a biological system to fall to one half of its initial value, denoted t½. In pharmacokinetic research it characterizes how quickly a molecule is cleared; many native peptides have very short half-lives of minutes, which motivates chemical modifications such as the DAC technology designed to extend circulation time.

HPLC purity is a measure of how much of a sample is the target compound, determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, which separates components by their differing affinities for a column and reports each as a percentage of total peak area. In peptide research a purity figure such as ≥98% is a standard quality benchmark recorded on a certificate of analysis.

In vitro is a Latin term, meaning "in glass," that describes experiments performed outside a living organism, in a controlled environment such as a test tube, culture dish, or cell-free system. In research it contrasts with in vivo work in whole organisms; in vitro models isolate a mechanism but cannot fully reproduce the complexity of an intact biological system.

Lyophilization, also called freeze-drying, is a preservation process that removes water from a frozen material by sublimation under vacuum, leaving a dry, stable powder. In peptide research it is the standard way vials are prepared, because the resulting lyophilized cake stores well at low temperatures and is later reconstituted with a diluent before laboratory use, protecting fragile peptides from hydrolysis.

Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that ionizes a sample and measures the mass-to-charge ratio of the resulting ions, producing a spectrum used to determine molecular weight and confirm identity. In peptide research it verifies that a synthesized molecule matches its expected mass, complementing HPLC purity data on a certificate of analysis to establish both identity and quality of a batch.

Molecular weight is the mass of a molecule, calculated as the sum of the atomic weights of all its constituent atoms and expressed in daltons (Da) or grams per mole. In peptide research it is a defining physical property used to confirm identity by mass spectrometry and to convert between mass and molar amounts when preparing solutions of a known compound.

A pentadecapeptide is a peptide composed of exactly fifteen amino acid residues joined by peptide bonds. The prefix derives from the Greek for fifteen, and the term denotes chain length only, not function. In research the descriptor is most associated with BPC-157, a synthetic pentadecapeptide whose sequence corresponds to a fragment of a protein found in gastric juice.

A peptide is a short chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds, conventionally distinguished from a protein by its smaller size, often defined as fewer than about fifty residues. In research, peptides are studied as signaling molecules, enzyme substrates, and synthetic analogues; their specific amino acid sequence determines biological activity, while their small size makes them susceptible to enzymatic degradation.

A peptide bond is the covalent amide bond that links two amino acids, formed when the carboxyl group of one reacts with the amino group of another and releases a molecule of water in a condensation reaction. In research it is the backbone linkage of every peptide and protein; its partial double-bond character makes the bond planar and rigid.

Preclinical research is the stage of scientific investigation that takes place before any testing in humans, using in vitro systems and animal models to characterize a compound's biological activity, mechanism, and safety profile. In the peptide literature most evidence sits at this stage; preclinical findings establish hypotheses and cannot be assumed to translate directly to human outcomes.

A receptor agonist is a molecule that binds a specific cellular receptor and activates it, producing a biological response that mimics the receptor's natural ligand. In research, agonists are contrasted with antagonists, which bind without activating; many studied peptides are characterized as agonists of a named receptor, and a molecule acting at several receptors at once is termed a multi-receptor agonist.

Reconstitution is the laboratory process of dissolving a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder back into a liquid by adding a measured volume of a diluent such as bacteriostatic or sterile water. In peptide research it converts a stored powder into a solution of known concentration; the chosen diluent volume sets that concentration and the solution is typically kept refrigerated and protected from light afterward.

Research use only (RUO) is a labeling and regulatory designation indicating that a material is intended exclusively for laboratory research and is not approved, evaluated, or sold for diagnostic, therapeutic, or human or veterinary use. In the peptide field the term sets the boundary of legitimate use: an RUO compound is a research reagent, and no clinical performance or safety claim attaches to it.

Subcutaneous describes the tissue layer beneath the skin and, in pharmacology, an administration route in which a substance is deposited into that layer rather than into muscle or a vein. In research the subcutaneous route is one of several parenteral options studied for peptides, and it is referenced neutrally here as a delivery concept, not as guidance for human use.