Potency (Pharmacology)
Also known as: potent · pharmacological potency · EC50
The amount of a compound needed to produce a given effect — a more potent compound works at a lower dose.
Potency describes how much of a compound is required to produce a particular effect. A more potent molecule achieves the same response at a lower concentration, often because it binds its target with higher affinity.
Potency is distinct from efficacy (the maximum effect achievable): a compound can be very potent yet produce only a modest maximum effect, or vice versa. The two together describe how a research peptide behaves at its target.
RELATED TERMS
Efficacy
The maximum effect a compound can produce once bound — distinct from potency, which is the dose needed to get there.
Binding Affinity
How tightly a molecule binds its target receptor — a key measure of how potent and selective a compound is.
Selectivity
How specifically a compound acts on its intended target and few others — the basis of a "clean" research effect.
Receptor / Agonist
A receptor is a cell’s signal-receiving protein; an agonist binds it and activates it, an antagonist blocks it.
Educational content, not medical advice. All products supplied for research purposes only — not for human consumption.