Research Basics
Why One Compound Has Several Names (and How to Be Sure You Have the Right One)
Research compounds often have several names, and similar names can describe different substances. Identifiers, not names, settle what you have.
Where the names come from
- Descriptive names, such as Body Protection Compound-157 for BPC-157.
- Development code names, such as PL 14736, another name for BPC-157.
- Abbreviations built from a compound’s origin, such as MOTS-c, from “mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c.”
- Sequence-based names, such as MEHFPGP for Semax.
- Other formal or historical names: NAD+ is also called nadide and coenzyme I.
- Spelling variants: Epitalon is also written Epithalon and Epithalone.
Different forms are different substances
A free peptide, a salt of it and a metal complex of it are chemically different and carry different CAS numbers. GHK, the free tripeptide, is CAS 49557-75-7 (C14H24N6O4, 340.4 g/mol). GHK-Cu, its copper(II) complex, is CAS 89030-95-5 (C14H22CuN6O4, 401.9 g/mol).
How to be sure
- Compare the sequence with a trustworthy reference.
- Compare the calculated molecular weight with the mass reported on the certificate of analysis.
- Check that the CAS number matches for the same form of the compound.
- If names differ between sources, ask the supplier exactly which compound and form it is.
Our product pages list these identifiers in the Specifications tab for the compounds that have one.
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. See our Research Use Only page.