This page is provided for research and educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, treatment recommendations, dosing instructions, or instructions for human use. Research findings should be interpreted within the population, model, formulation, route, outcomes, and study design reported by each cited source.
AICAR (50 mg Vial)
AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside) is a research compound that activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)[1], earning the nickname “exercise pill” after studies showed sedentary animals given AICAR experienced dramatic endurance improvements[2].
Quick Reference
What is AICAR?
Research overview based on the cited scientific literature.
• Research Goal: Activate AMPK pathways to mimic exercise-like metabolic effects[1][6].
• Storage: Lyophilized frozen at −20 °C (−4 °F); reconstituted refrigerated 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F) for up to 4 weeks[10].
Storage Instructions
Proper storage preserves peptide stability and potency.
• Lyophilized: Store at −20 °C (−4 °F) in dry, dark conditions; stable up to 24 months[10].
• Reconstituted: Refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F); stable for approximately 4 weeks[10].
• Freeze–Thaw: Avoid repeated cycles; consider aliquots for long-term storage at −20 °C (−4 °F), up to approximately 6 months[10].
• Allow vials to reach room temperature before opening to minimize condensation.
How is AICAR studied?
AICAR functions as an AMPK agonist, essentially mimicking an energy-depleted cellular state[6]. After administration, AICAR enters skeletal muscle and other cells where it is metabolized to ZMP (AICAR monophosphate), an analog of AMP that directly activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)[6]. AMPK serves as the master regulator of cellular energy homeostasis, and its activation stimulates glucose uptake and fatty-acid oxidation in muscle while promoting mitochondrial biogenesis to boost cellular energy output[1][6]. This metabolic shift “tricks” cells into responding as if exercising or fasting, activating pathways that improve energy metabolism and endurance capacity without actual physical activity.
What does the research report about AICAR?
Observations from preclinical and limited human research.
• Endurance Enhancement: Sedentary mice treated with AICAR showed a remarkable +44% increase in endurance without training[2], demonstrating exercise-mimetic effects.
• Metabolic Improvements: Increases mitochondrial enzymes, fatty-acid oxidation capacity, and skeletal muscle glucose uptake[3][6]; improves insulin sensitivity in animal models.
• Therapeutic Potential: Research suggests potential for diabetic neuropathy protection and metabolic syndrome treatment in animal models[7].
• In a phase I/II open-label study, acadesine was administered as a four-hour intravenous infusion to patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Reported tolerability and the maximum tolerated dose apply to that study population, formulation and intravenous route[5].
• That study does not establish the safety of subcutaneous AICAR, injection-site effects, or dose equivalence for the research material described here.
• Important: Despite promising preclinical results, AICAR remains experimental; no confirmed clinical benefit in humans has been established, and long-term risks are unknown.
Important Note
This content is provided for scientific research and educational purposes only. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or administration instructions. The compounds discussed may be investigational and are not presented as approved for human use.
Research FAQs
1 What did the cited human acadesine study investigate?
Reference [5] reports a phase I/II open-label study of intravenous acadesine in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
2 Does that study establish subcutaneous AICAR safety?
No. Its findings concern the studied population, formulation and intravenous route. They do not establish subcutaneous safety or dose equivalence for the research material described here[5].
What are the limitations of the research on AICAR?
Evidence should be interpreted within the population, experimental model, formulation, route, outcome measures, and study design used in each cited source. Preclinical or early-stage findings do not establish clinical efficacy, safety, or approved human use. Where human evidence is available, results should not be generalized beyond the populations and conditions actually studied.
