Check what the researchers actually studied
Look for the exact sequence or structure, modifications and preparation. A parent protein, short fragment, labeled analogue and blended material are not automatically interchangeable.
Next, identify the experimental system: purified protein, isolated tissue, cell culture or an animal model. The model belongs beside the finding, not in a distant footnote.
Name the measurement precisely
Binding, gene expression, migration and proliferation answer different questions. A change in one cannot simply be renamed as a change in another.
For example, the BPC-157 tendon-cell paper reported changes in migration and survival under stress but not direct proliferation in the same assay. Keeping that distinction makes the summary more informative.
Source 1 ↓Read the unchanged measurements too
A useful summary includes findings that do not support the initial expectation. In the selected Selank study, the measured gene-expression panel did not change with Selank alone, while some combined exposures differed.
Check the comparator, replication and scope of the measurement. A selected paper is a starting point for reading, not an exhaustive account of everything known about a compound.
Source 2 ↓Check the publication's current status
Open the publication record and check for corrections, expressions of concern and retractions. An older citation can remain popular after its status changes.
A frequently cited 2014 Dihexa paper was retracted in 2025. The library links the notice and labels the original as withdrawn rather than presenting its findings as supporting evidence.
Source 3 ↓