5-Amino-1MQ

Overview

5-Amino-1MQ is a small heterocyclic molecule (not a peptide) that acts as a selective, membrane-permeable inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). It is under preclinical investigation for obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It is not FDA-approved and has not completed human clinical trials; it is commonly tracked alongside peptides because grey-market vendors sell it for metabolic protocols.

Mechanism of Action

NNMT methylates nicotinamide using S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), producing 1-methylnicotinamide (MNA) and depleting both the NAD+ salvage precursor pool and the SAM methyl donor pool. By inhibiting NNMT, 5-Amino-1MQ lowers intracellular MNA and raises intracellular NAD+ and SAM. In adipocytes this has been reported to suppress lipogenesis and reduce adipocyte size in rodent models. Downstream links to SIRT1 activation and fat oxidation are frequently proposed but are not firmly established in vivo.

Research Summary

Neelakantan et al. (2018, Biochem Pharmacol) reported that 5-Amino-1MQ and related methylquinolinium NNMT inhibitors reduced body weight, white adipose mass, adipocyte size, and plasma cholesterol in diet-induced obese mice without affecting food intake. Subsequent rodent work (Dimet-Wiley et al., 2022; Babula et al., 2024) extended these findings to microbiome composition and to NAFLD-like liver pathology in DIO mice. Independent NNMT inhibitor programs (e.g., Kannt et al., 2018, JBSNF-000088) have reported similar metabolic effects in rodents. No human clinical trials of 5-Amino-1MQ have been completed or published as of 2026.

Dosing Information

Reported Side Effects

• No controlled human safety data — all adverse-effect information is anecdotal or theoretical
• Anecdotal reports of nausea and mild GI upset
• Theoretical: NNMT inhibition raises SAM, which could shift methylation balance and affect neurotransmitter or catecholamine metabolism
• Rodent studies did not report overt toxicity at effective doses

Research References

• Selective and membrane-permeable small molecule inhibitors of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase reverse high fat diet-induced obesity in mice (Neelakantan et al., Biochem Pharmacol, PMID 29155147) (2018)
• A small molecule inhibitor of Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase for the treatment of metabolic disorders (Kannt et al., Sci Rep, PMID 29483571) (2018)
• Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase inhibition mitigates obesity-related metabolic dysfunction (Babula et al., Diabetes Obes Metab, PMID 39161060) (2024)