| Term | Definition |
| Amylase | An enzyme that functions to break down the polysaccharide amylose (plant starch) to the disaccharide maltose |
| Assay | A test |
| Activity Assay | An experiment designed to show a molecule is conducting the reaction that is expected |
| Concentration Assay | A test designed to show the amount of molecule present in a solution |
| Investigational New Drug (IND) application | A document to the FDA to allow testing of a new drug or product in humans. |
| Pharmacokinetic (PK) assay | An experiment designed to show how a drug is metabolized (processed) in the body |
| Pharmacodynamic (PD) Assay | An experiment designed to show the biochemical effect of a drug on the body |
| Potency assay | An experiment designed to determine the relative strength of a drug for the purpose of determining proper dosage |
| Toxicology assay | An experiment designed to find what quantities of a drug are toxic to cells, tissues, and model organisms |
| Stability Assay | An experiment designed to determine the conditions that affect the shelf life of a drug |
| Direct ELISA | An ELISA where a primary antibody linked with an enzyme recognizes an antigen and indicates its presence with a colorimetric reaction |
| Indirect ELISA | An ELISA where a primary antibody binds to an antigen and then a secondary antibody linked with an enzyme recognizes the primary antibody- the antigen presence and concentration is indicated by the degree of colorimetric reaction |
| PVDF | Polyvinylidene fluoride, a high molecular weight flurocarbon with dielectric properties that make it suitable for Western blots because it is attractive to charge proteins |
| Nitrocellulose | A modified cellulose molecule used to make paper membrane for blots of nucleic acids and proteins |
| Herbal Remedies | The products developed from plants that exhibit or are thought to exhibit some medicinal property |
| Antimicrobial | A substance that kills or slows the growth of one or more microorganisms |
| Antiseptic | An antimicrobial solution, such as alcohol or iodine, that is used to clean surfaces |
| Nutraceutical | A food or natural product that claims to have health or medicinal value |
| Transfection | The genetic engineering, or transformation, of mammalian cell lines |
| Formulation | The form of a product, as in tablet, powder, injectable liquid, etc. |
