What is AICAR?
AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside, also acadesine) is an intermediate of purine metabolism (258.2 g/mol). In cells it becomes ZMP, which resembles the energy-deficit signal AMP and activates AMPK.
Research status
AICAR became widely known through a 2008 mouse study in which untrained animals ran further. In research it is used to study glucose uptake, fatty-acid oxidation and mitochondrial biogenesis. Newer work shows effects that do not run through AMPK, so AICAR results cannot automatically be read as AMPK effects. More in AICAR and AOD-9604.
Status
Not approved and on the anti-doping prohibited list as a metabolic modulator. Research use only.
