Peptide Glossary
Plain-language definitions for the terminology of peptide therapy: GHRPs, secretagogues, 503A compounding, PCAC, and the rest. Written for people doing the reading, not writing papers.
A
- Angiogenesis — Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels from existing ones. It's a no…
B
- BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) — BDNF is a protein that supports the survival of existing neurons and encourages …
- Bioregulator — Bioregulators are short peptides — typically two to five amino acids — that occu…
C
- Compounding — Compounding is the practice of a pharmacist preparing a customised medication fo…
G
- GHRH (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone) — GHRH is the hypothalamic hormone that tells your pituitary to release growth hor…
- Ghrelin Receptor (GHSR-1a) — The ghrelin receptor (officially: Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor type 1a, …
- Growth Hormone Secretagogue — A growth hormone secretagogue is any compound that causes the pituitary to relea…
H
- Half-life — Half-life is the time it takes for the concentration of a substance in the body …
I
- IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1) — IGF-1 is a hormone produced mainly in the liver in response to growth hormone si…
M
- MedWatch — MedWatch is the FDA's voluntary adverse event reporting program for serious prob…
- Melanocortin Receptor — Melanocortin receptors (MC1R through MC5R) are a family of G protein-coupled rec…
P
- PCAC (Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee) — The PCAC is the FDA's advisory committee that reviews whether bulk active pharma…
- Peptide — A peptide is a short chain of amino acids — the same building blocks that make u…
S
- Secretagogue — A secretagogue is a substance that triggers another substance to be secreted. In…
- Subcutaneous Injection — A subcutaneous injection delivers a substance into the layer of fat just beneath…
T
- Telomerase — Telomerase is an enzyme that extends telomeres — the protective caps at the ends…
- Telomere — Telomeres are the protective end-caps on chromosomes — repetitive DNA sequences …
- Thymosin — Thymosin is a family of proteins originally isolated from thymic tissue (the gla…
V
- VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) — VEGF is a signalling protein that promotes the growth of new blood vessels — ang…
W
- WADA Prohibited List — The WADA Prohibited List is the global register of substances banned in competit…
#
- 503A Pharmacy — A 503A pharmacy is a traditional compounding pharmacy — one that prepares custom…
- 503B Outsourcing Facility — A 503B outsourcing facility is a compounding facility registered with the FDA th…