What is 5-Amino-1MQ?

5-Amino-1MQ is often sold alongside research peptides but is not a peptide itself: it is a small molecule that inhibits a specific metabolic enzyme. Here you can read what 5-Amino-1MQ is, how it works in models and how to handle it in the lab.

5-Amino-1MQ at a glance

5-Amino-1MQ stands for 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium. It is a small, positively charged molecule from the quinoline group, developed as an inhibitor of the enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT).

  • Full name: 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium
  • Type: small molecule, not a peptide
  • Target: the enzyme NNMT (nicotinamide N-methyltransferase)
  • Form: powder

What is NNMT?

NNMT is an enzyme that methylates nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3). It is abundant in fat tissue and the liver. Because nicotinamide is also a precursor of NAD+, NNMT indirectly affects how much building material is available for making NAD+.

When NNMT is inhibited, more nicotinamide remains available for NAD+ metabolism in models. That is why 5-Amino-1MQ is often mentioned in connection with NAD+.

Research areas

5-Amino-1MQ is mainly studied in preclinical models, including:

  • Fat cells (adipocytes) in cell culture
  • Metabolic models in mice, including a widely cited 2018 study
  • The link between NNMT, nicotinamide and NAD+
  • Muscle stem cells in ageing models

5-Amino-1MQ alongside MOTS-c and NAD+

In metabolic research, 5-Amino-1MQ is often mentioned alongside NAD+ and the mitochondrial peptide MOTS-c. They are three different approaches: an enzyme inhibitor, a coenzyme and a peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA.

Storage and quality

Store 5-Amino-1MQ cool, dry and protected from light. At Virexa Labs every batch is tested by HPLC for ≥99% purity; the COA is on the product page. 5-Amino-1MQ is not approved as a medicine and is intended solely for laboratory research, not for human or veterinary use.

Products

Frequently asked questions

Is 5-Amino-1MQ a peptide?

No. 5-Amino-1MQ is a small molecule (a quinolinium derivative), though it is often sold alongside research peptides.

What does 5-Amino-1MQ inhibit?

The enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), which methylates nicotinamide.

How is 5-Amino-1MQ related to NAD+?

NNMT consumes nicotinamide, a precursor of NAD+. When NNMT is inhibited, more nicotinamide remains available for NAD+ metabolism in models.

Is 5-Amino-1MQ intended for human use?

No. 5-Amino-1MQ from Virexa Labs is intended solely for laboratory research and not for human or veterinary consumption.

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