Body and drug basics
Analogue
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An analogue is a molecule deliberately built as a near-copy of another one, with small changes made on purpose. A few amino acids might be swapped, or a chemical group added, usually so the copy survives longer in the body or attaches more tightly to its target. It is a variation on a theme rather than a different substance altogether.
Why it matters here
Many compounds you will meet here are analogues of something the body makes itself, and the record will name the parent molecule. The changes are the entire point of making one, so an analogue should not be assumed to behave like its parent.
What it is not
An analogue is not the same molecule under a different brand name. A single swapped amino acid can change how long something lasts or what it sticks to, which is why an analogue and its parent are kept as separate records with separate evidence.
Also called
- analogue
- analog
- analogues
- analogs
- derivative
- modified peptide
- peptide analogue
Analog is the American spelling of the same word. Derivative is used loosely for the same idea, though it more strictly means something chemically made from the original.
Compounds carrying this term
None on file yet. This term is in the controlled vocabulary but no compound record currently uses it — which is a statement about our coverage, not about the term.