Compounds / 5-Amino-1MQ
5-Amino-1MQ
Also known as: 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium; NNMTi; 5-Amino-1MQ iodide; CAS 42464-96-0 (iodide salt); PubChem CID 950107
Primary research focus: Metabolic research (NNMT inhibition; studied preclinically for fat loss and metabolic health)
Last updated July 2026 · Reviewed against FDA labeling and published research.
What is 5-Amino-1MQ?
5-Amino-1MQ (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) is a small-molecule inhibitor of the enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). It is a synthetic quinolinium compound, not a peptide, though it is frequently discussed alongside peptides in metabolic and longevity contexts. Its evidence base is entirely preclinical (rodent and cell-culture); there are no published human clinical trials, and it has no FDA-approved use.
Substrate-competitive, selective inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), the cytosolic enzyme that methylates nicotinamide to 1-methylnicotinamide using S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) as the methyl donor. By reducing NNMT activity, more nicotinamide is available to the NAD+ salvage pathway and more SAM is conserved for methylation reactions. In preclinical models this is associated with reduced adipocyte lipogenesis, smaller fat cells, and support of sirtuin activity. The reported in vitro NNMT inhibition potency is an IC50 of approximately 1.2 micromolar.
How it’s supplied
Not an FDA-approved or commercially manufactured medicine. It is sold as a research-grade chemical, most commonly as the crystalline iodide salt (a yellow to off-white or brown powder), and in some gray-market wellness channels as oral capsules or oral liquid solutions. None of these forms have been reviewed by the FDA for safety, potency, or sterility, and there is no legitimate clinical or compounding supply pathway.
Dosage Chart
Units shown are for a U-100 insulin syringe (100 units = 1 mL), calculated from the vial size and BAC water you select. Always confirm against your prescription and your syringe markings.
| Phase | Dose | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-8 | 5mg | 1x Daily | — |
- Rotate injection sites to reduce irritation and lipohypertrophy
- Not for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Do not exceed the recommended dose to try to speed results
Potential Benefits and Side Effects
Effects reported in published research. Not a promise of results, and not medical advice.
- Reported in preclinical (rodent and cell-culture) research only; there are no human efficacy data.
- Reduced white adipose (fat) mass and smaller fat cells in diet-induced obese mice, without a reduction in food intake.
- Reduced lipogenesis and increased NAD+ and SAM levels in cultured adipocytes.
- Enhanced body-composition and metabolic benefits when NNMT inhibition was combined with a reduced-calorie or low-fat diet in obese mice.
- Improved activation and regenerative capacity of aged muscle stem cells in mice.
- No human adverse-effect data are available.
- Preclinical rodent studies reported no overt toxicity at the doses tested (up to 60 mg/kg/day in one report).
- Human tolerability, including gastrointestinal or other effects, is unknown.
Warnings and contraindications
Important safety information. This is not exhaustive — read the full prescribing information and consult your prescriber or pharmacist.
- No FDA-approved labeling exists; the following reflect the absence of human safety data and theoretical or class-based concerns, not established label warnings.
- There are no published human clinical trials, so the human safety profile is unknown.
- NNMT is expressed in multiple cancer types, and the effect of pharmacologic NNMT inhibition on human tumor biology is unknown; caution with known or suspected malignancy.
- No human drug-interaction studies exist; effects on methylation, folate metabolism, or SAM-dependent pathways are uncharacterized.
- Pharmacokinetics under hepatic or renal impairment are uncharacterized.
- Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been studied.
- Identity, purity, and concentration vary widely across research-grade suppliers.
- Not established; no FDA-approved labeling exists. The following are precautionary, applied by absence of human data.
- Known or suspected malignancy (uncertain effect of NNMT inhibition on tumor biology).
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding (no safety data).
- Known hypersensitivity to the compound.
Reconstitution Steps
How to prepare the lyophilized vial. Confirm specifics with your pharmacist or prescriber.
- Confirm the amount of powder in the vial and the solvent volume you intend to use before starting; research-grade material is usually the iodide salt.
- Wash your hands and gather supplies: the powder vial, the intended solvent (for aqueous stock, sterile or bacteriostatic water; DMSO is used for some laboratory stocks), an alcohol swab, and a sterile syringe.
- Let the powder vial and solvent reach room temperature if they were refrigerated or frozen.
- Wipe the vial stopper with a fresh alcohol swab and let it air dry.
- Draw the intended solvent volume into the syringe.
- Insert the needle into the vial and slowly release the solvent down the inside wall of the vial rather than directly onto the powder.
- Do not shake. Gently swirl or roll the vial until the powder is fully dissolved.
- Inspect the solution: it should be clear with no visible particles. Do not use if cloudy or containing particles.
- Note the resulting concentration (powder amount divided by the solvent volume) so it matches the reconstitution calculator on this page.
- Label the vial with the reconstitution date and store as directed under reconstituted storage.
US regulatory status
Classifications are public record but can change. For reference only, not legal advice.
Development: 5-Amino-1MQ (also written NNMTi) emerged from academic medicinal-chemistry work on NNMT inhibitors, notably at the University of Texas. Key preclinical milestones include Neelakantan et al. (Biochemical Pharmacology, 2018), which showed that methylquinolinium NNMT inhibitors reversed high-fat-diet-induced obesity in mice without reducing food intake; Sampson et al. (Scientific Reports, 2021) and Dimet-Wiley et al. (Scientific Reports, 2022), which reported enhanced fat loss when NNMT inhibition was combined with dietary change; and separate work reporting activation of aged muscle stem cells. As of mid-2026 there is no FDA-approved indication, no public Investigational New Drug (IND) application, and no registered or completed human clinical trial on ClinicalTrials.gov. Development remains preclinical.
Notes: 5-Amino-1MQ has no FDA approval and no recognized clinical use. It is not on the FDA 503A bulk drug substances list and has no drug-shortage or approval basis for compounding, so it is not eligible for 503A or 503B compounding as a copy of an approved product. It is widely sold as a research-grade chemical and, in some gray-market wellness channels, as capsules or oral solutions; these are not FDA-reviewed for safety, potency, or sterility. It is not a controlled substance.
International status
Pharmacokinetics
Storage and handling
Important Notes
Practical considerations for consistency and safety.
- 5-Amino-1MQ is a small-molecule NNMT inhibitor, not a peptide, despite being marketed alongside peptides.
- The entire efficacy evidence base is preclinical (rodent and cell-culture); there are no published human clinical trials.
- It has no FDA-approved indication, no public IND, and no registered or completed clinical trial as of mid-2026.
- This is a different category from investigational Phase 3 compounds such as retatrutide or orforglipron.
- Material sold as research-grade varies in identity and purity and is not a quality-assured medicinal product.
Lifestyle Factors
- In animal models, metabolic benefits were most pronounced when NNMT inhibition was paired with a reduced-calorie or low-fat diet.
- Human lifestyle interactions are unstudied.
References
Related compounds
Important disclaimer
This page is an educational reference, not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment recommendation, and not a substitute for your prescriber or pharmacist. Approval and regulatory status varies by compound and can change. Always confirm against current prescribing information and consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any decision about a medication.